Embedding Indigenous
Health within a New
Medicine Program
Philip Jones & Lisa Jackson-Pulver
Faculty of Medicine, UNSW
UNSW Medicine Program

6-year UG program

Three phases.

Modular structure (8-week courses).

Common organising domains in Phases
1 & 2 with recurring themes.

Vertical integration.
Graduate Capabilities
Using basic and clinical sciences.
 Social/cultural aspects of health & disease.
 Patient assessment and management.
 Effective communication.
 Team work.
 Self-directed learning and critical evaluation.
 Ethics and legal responsibilities.
 Becoming a reflective practitioner.

Graduate Capabilities Relating to
Indigenous Health

Awareness of cultural issues.

Reflections on personal value system.

Cultural sensitivity, tolerance and respect
for others.

Communicates effectively with culturally
diverse patients and families.
Phase 1: Scenario based learning



Health scenarios provide
a context for learning
activities.
Predominantly campusbased activities.
Scenario groups.
Phase 1 learning activities related
to Indigenous Health

Scenarios illustrating health problems
affecting Indigenous people
 Teenage
pregnancy
 Child development
 Weight control and diabetes
 Alcohol-related disorders
Teenage Pregnancy Scenario

Jessica is an Anglo-Celtic girl living in a small
country town and is in year 9 at the local high
school. She is worried that she is pregnant
because her period is two weeks overdue.

Deborah is an Aboriginal girl living in western
Sydney as part of an urban Aboriginal
community. She is 22 weeks pregnant and
attends an Aboriginal Medical Centre. Doctors
are worried because her fetus may be small for
her apparent dates.
Phase 1 learning activities related
to Indigenous Health

Lectures
 Lecture
on diabetes from an Indigenous
speaker

Small group sessions
 Viewing

and discussing “Lonely Boy Richard”
Communication skills tutorials
Phase 1 assessment activities

Individual assignments
 Trachoma
& equity in child health.
 Rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous Australians - a
third world disease in a first world country.

Group projects
 Planning
a health promotion and education campaign
on nutrition and/or weight control for type 2 diabetes.
 Evaluate campaigns to reduce risky alcohol
consumption among specific sub-populations.
Phase 2: Practice based learning



Structured clinical
experiences based on
weekly themes.
Linking to biomedical
sciences on campus.
Independent learning
project.
“Cross cultural and Indigenous
health” theme in Phase 2

Lectures
 Overview
of Indigenous health
 Common health problems especially skin
problems.

Communication skills tutorials
 Case
studies involving Aboriginal health
workers.

Case method tutorial



This is the story of how several remote
Indigenous communities made efforts to control
skin infections in their community members,
particularly their children.
Chronic scabies and the resulting streptococcal
skin infections are a significant cause of longterm serious health complications.
The community of Minjilang on Croker Island in
Torres Strait tried a health intervention to reduce
the prevalence of these infections. The desert
communities of the Kimberley in Western
Australia tried an environmental intervention.
Phase 2 assessment activities

Group project
 Analysis
of a Health Problem in a Local
Population

Station in Phase 2 Integrated Clinical
Examination
 Evaluate
communication skills in interview of
aboriginal patient.
Phase 3:
Independent reflective learning



Clinical clerkships.
Hospital and
community settings.
Flexibility in choice of
courses within
guidelines.
Portfolio Assessment
Students required to demonstrate
evidence of achievement for graduate
capabilities.
 Reflective essay on learning and
development of graduate capabilities.

Conclusions




Outcomes-based curriculum with graduate
capabilities linking to Indigenous Health.
Learning activities relating to Indigenous Health
within different courses across each phase of
the curriculum.
Learning activities involving Aboriginal patients
and health care workers.
Increased awareness and understanding of
issues affecting Indigenous Health.