Healthy Futures Report - LIME Network

FINDINGS4.3.7 Cultural safetySixty-six percent of Indigenous medicalstudents surveyed for this project said theyexperienced racism and discrimination. Sixtyfourpercent felt that they were not supportedadequately by their medical school. Lack ofsupport was often equated with the absence ofan Indigenous health support unit and lack ofIndigenous staff. In medical schools wherethere are limited numbers of Indigenous staff,some students said they were being left toteach non-Indigenous staff and students aboutIndigenous cultural issues and handleconfronting attitudes towards Indigenouspeople.We [Indigenous students] were separatedinto groups and left to describe andeducate other students [about Indigenousissues] … this can be confronting at times.Indigenous medical studentIndigenous medical graduates also reportedexperiences of racism and discrimination in anumber of forms.Odd comments … that I had failed allexams but [was] only allowed to continuebecause I was ‘blackfella’.Following successful completion of [a verydifficult specialist exam] one colleaguecommented ‘you only got through cos’you’re black’.[I was] often made to feel inferior by otherstudents and/or faculty members, [saying]that [I] ‘must be dumb’ because [I] onlygot into the course because [I’m]Aboriginal.Individuals who entered medicine viaalternative entry said that they were exposedto discrimination by staff and peers whoimplied they were given ‘special treatment’and were not good enough to compete withthe rest of the applicants. Students also saidthey experienced racism and discriminationbecause of the way they did or apparently didnot ‘look’.Many think we have a lot of benefits andopportunities that others don’t get.Students are always sceptical ofIndigenous students and their entrancecriteria.Having a mixed cultural background andnot looking traditional provides for somenot thinking I am Indigenous, this is verystressful.Indigenous medical studentsIn comparison to cultural awareness, culturalsafety maintains that individuals are diverse. 90It is based around attitudinal change,respecting an individual’s cultural values andaddressing issues surrounding powerimbalance. Cultural safety aims to identifyattitudes that may exist, either consciously orunconsciously, towards cultural differences,allowing individuals to see the impact theseattitudes have on others and attempt tochange those attitudes.Sixty-six percent of Indigenous medicalstudents surveyed for this project said theyexperienced racism and discrimination.Indigenous medical graduates29