On December 1st 2008, the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada (IPAC) and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC) have launched four key documents that aim to improve health care delivery to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples by implementing Indigenous health curriculum at all Canadian faculties of medicine, and by increasing the number of Indigenous physicians in Canada.

Media were invited to the launch at the Delta Centre-Ville Hotel, Montréal from 10:15 – 11:00 am in the La Terasse Room. Opening comments were be made by IPAC President, Dr. Marcia Anderson, Dr. Alan Neville, Assistant Dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, and Ms. Debra Gillis, Director of Primary Health Care for the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada.

These documents can be found on the IPAC [1]and AFMC [2]web sites:

• First Nations, Inuit, Métis Health Core Competencies: A Curriculum Framework for Undergraduate Medical Education
• Summary of Admissions and Support Programs for Indigenous Students at Canadian Faculties of Medicine
• Best Practices to Recruit Mature Aboriginal Students to Medicine
• Pre-Admissions Support Toolkit for First Nations, Inuit, Métis Students into Medicine
  

To support implementation of Indigenous health curriculum in all undergraduate medical education programs, all 17 medical faculties have nominated members to a committee which includes faculty and community representatives. This launch will coincide with this group’s first meeting.

“Health disparities between Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) peoples and the general Canadian population continue to exist.

The reasons for the disparities are diverse and include
inter-generational impacts from colonization, residential schools, treaties, land claims, ongoing systemic socio-economic disadvantage, and a vast under-representation in the health professions, including medicine,” said Dr. Marcia Anderson, President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada. “Increasing the size of the Indigenous medical workforce and training all of Canada’s physicians to provide the highest quality care to First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples are two key responses to these disparities that are within the medical schools capacity and social responsibility,” said Dr. Anderson.

Dr. Nick Busing, President and CEO of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada is “extremely proud of the work that has been done by these very committed individuals. There is no question that their work will have a direct impact on our faculties, the medical workforce, and ultimately on the health and prosperity of Indigenous peoples in Canada.”


For more information, please contact:
Kandice Leonard [3]
Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada
204-219-0099

Barbie Shore [4]
The Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada
613-730-0687 Ext. 235
 


Source: Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada [5]