Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Closing the gap between the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-indigenous Australians is a national priority. GP registrars who choose to do a post in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health usually find the experience rewarding, enriching and a source of valuable general practice skills. What compulsory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training is there in the AGPT program? The curriculum statements on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health of each of the two professional colleges (RACGP and ACRRM) require all GP registrars to complete educational activities related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, such as block release activities on cultural awareness. These education activities are a mandatory component and must be done before completion of training is confirmed by your regional training provider (RTP). Clinical training at an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training post is optional. What optional training opportunities are there in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health? You can undertake almost any term of your general practice training in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training post. The posts are mostly in Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) or 68 Visit our website gpra.org.au health training state or territory government health services. ACCHSs are primary health care services initiated, planned and managed by local Aboriginal communities. In this setting, the doctor works as a member of a skilled and enthusiastic primary health care team, coordinated by a chief executive officer and managed by a locally elected board of directors. In some regions, shared training positions are available that offer a combination of part-time work in a mainstream general practice and a local ACCHS. General pathway registrars can choose to do a six-month Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health term as part of their training obligations beyond inner metropolitan general practice (see page 35 for details). Why take up an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health post? Training in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health ensures you gain excellent experience in cross-cultural communication skills, complex medicine, preventive health care, health promotion and population health. It s a holistic approach to primary health care relevant to any cultural context. You also have a unique opportunity to make a difference while gaining a privileged personal insight into an ancient culture.
3 Exploring your options Cultural awareness training Before you start your post, you will typically attend a cultural awareness training course, as part of mandatory education, to familiarise you with the broad cultural context of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. When undertaking clinical training at an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training post, a cultural mentor will usually familiarise you with the specific cultural context of the local people and community. The GPET response to the Closing the Gap strategy GPET is committed to the government s Closing the Gap strategy in the training of GP registrars, and has set targets and key results areas in order to make a significant contribution. A range of initiatives is being developed to enhance registrar Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training in the AGPT program. Indigenous GP registrars There are growing numbers of Indigenous doctors in Australia. GPRA helps to provide support to Indigenous GP registrars through the Indigenous General Practice Registrars Network (IGPRN) About IGPRN Indigenous GP registrars often face unique challenges. The IGPRN is a funded network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander GP registrars that provides ongoing support services under the auspices of GPRA. For more information about the network, see page 24, telephone 03 9629 8878 or email igprn@gpra.org.au The Australian Indigenous Doctors Association also provides support for Indigenous doctors at aida.org.au Indigenous doctor and medical student stats Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors and students in Australia: GP registrars 41 Medical practitioners 153 Medical students 218 Source: Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and GPRA Do itnow How to find out about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training posts Most training providers have at least one accredited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training post. If you want experience in a different environment, you can apply through your RTP for a temporary transfer to another region. For a list of currently accredited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health training posts in each region, visit agpt.com.au GPRA The future of general practice 69
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health Treating Working in Aboriginal health in Melbourne, Dr Deepthi Iyer discovered the positive power of holistic medicine, being part of a workplace family, and sharing a piece of cake. Dr Deepthi Iyer RTP: Victorian Metropolitan Alliance Location: Melbourne, VIC the whole person Patients were warm and welcoming, and brought in food and cakes to be shared with all the staff and other patients. I trained in New Zealand and always loved the holistic approach to health and wellbeing of Maori people, Dr Deepthi Iyer reflects. I wondered if Aboriginal people were similar in their view. So began Deepthi s determination to get some experience and learn about Aboriginal culture. The Victorian Metropolitan Alliance (VMA) registrar took up a post at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in the inner-city Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, and describes the experience as life-changing. The staff adopted me as part of their family and looked after me as if I had always worked there, Deepthi says. My knowledge of chronic disease, mental health and acute medicine increased. At the clinic, Deepthi split her time between seeing booked general practice patients and working in the walk-in treatment room as the duty doctor. She soon discovered that, as with Maori people in New Zealand, the Aboriginal approach is holistic too. Appointments allowed time to get to know the patient and understand their social situation. I had half an hour to see my patients and could have a long chat with them as well as take a detailed history and examination, Deepthi explains. My knowledge of chronic disease, mental health and acute medicine increased. Deepthi found the post immensely helpful in preparing for her exams. My clinical practice was excellent preparation and it also helped that my supervisor was enthusiastic in running through OSCE station scenarios for me, she says. She says she appreciated being part of a close-knit team with the nurses, administration staff and Aboriginal health workers. They often knew more about the patient s social history, 72 Visit our website gpra.org.au
3 Exploring your options Registrar rave Dr Danielle Arabena home set-up and past medical history, she says. Deepthi s part-time job as a registrar liaison officer at VMA completes a busy and varied week. She is also an active member of Melbourne s Indian and Hindu community, and teaches Hindu culture at a local school. So what would Deepthi say to other registrars about doing an Indigenous health post? You have to work in one to understand that it is really very rewarding. Deepthi s tips on working in an Aboriginal Medical Service Give it a go try it! The community has a big heart Understand the holistic approach focus on the physical, mental and spiritual health of the patient Get to know your colleagues talk to the nurses and Aboriginal health workers and you will hear interesting stories about their upbringing and way of life. My training provider is Central and Southern Queensland Training Consortium. Registrar Rave My current post is at the Majellan Medical Centre in Scarborough near Brisbane, a private practice that is Indigenous-friendly. As a Torres Strait Islander GP registrar, I love seeing my Indigenous patients every day. A typical workday for me involves laughing, engaging, advocating and sometimes a little cry with a patient. I am inspired by members of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and the GPRA Indigenous General Practice Registrars Network, by my mob s journey into medicine and by the resilience that we as Indigenous medical students and doctors have all with a desire to help our community. My biggest challenge was finishing my medical degree while being a mother. I would have to get up at 4 am to study before everyone else woke up. For more information about doing a term in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, see pages 68 69. GPRA The future of general practice 73