Healthy Futures Report - LIME Network

FINDINGS4.6.3 Tutorial assistanceSeventy-six percent of Indigenous medicalstudents identified tutorial assistance as one oftheir main support needs. However, manystudents found the process of applying for theIndigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme (ITAS)(formerly Aboriginal Tutorial AssistanceScheme) difficult and time consuming andtherefore a disincentive. While some studentsfelt the Indigenous support units wereresponsible for the difficulties of obtaining anITAS tutor, in many instances this is not thecase. Finding appropriate tutors and endlesspaperwork is a time consuming process andone which is tied to funding agreements.Finding tutors and completing paperworkis a huge process and one which is tiringand a particular disincentive toparticipating in the program.… having to beg for assistance is notproductive.… in first year, a [professor] said he wouldhelp arrange some tutoring, butbureaucratic paperwork always made itimpossible … I gave up asking.Indigenous medical studentsFurthermore, many students said that the wayITAS was structured and provided was notsuitable for medical students. In particular,they argued that ITAS did not recognise thatmany of their courses were the equivalent of anumber of courses combined and shouldtherefore attract more than the minimumnumber of tutorial hours per course.Indigenous medical students also said that,in some cases, the kind of tutorial supportthey were getting was not appropriate. Theyemphasised the need for medical specifictutorial support from medically trained tutors,Indigenous or not.… [tutoring] not suited to medical students… [and tutors] do not understand thespecial needs.… [tutoring has to be] led by a tutor who isup to date with the curriculum of thecourse.Indigenous medical studentsHowever, some medical schools haveimplemented strategies to provide intensivesupport to Indigenous medical students inthe first few years of their degree. To addressdifficulties with tutorial support, oneuniversity employs a medically trained tutorto work part time with the Indigenousmedical students.The program [ITAS] is designed for standarduniversity courses and takes no considerationfor medicine courses which have a differentstructure to mainstream courses.The ITAS unit was not at all supportive ofmedical students because our subjectswere an all in one subject. They did notunderstand the amount of time weneeded in tutorials and the diversity ofsubject material that needed to becovered.The program is designed for standarduniversity courses and takes noconsideration for medicine courses whichhave a different structure to mainstreamcourses.Indigenous medical students37