CPMC National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical ...

Australian and New Zealand College ofAnaesthetists (ANZCA)Indigenous Health Podcast Series – Now availableThe ANZCA Indigenous Health Committee launched the College’sIndigenous health podcast series in March 2013 1 .The series includes nineshort independentlearning podcast modulesfocusing on the needs of rural/remote anaesthesia and painmedicine specialists workingwith Indigenous patients andcommunities in Australia. Themodules are now available on theANZCA website in the E-learningsection (http://www.anzca.edu.au/resources/e-learning/podcasts).The podcasts were developedby ANZCA and FPM Fellows,doctors with experience inIndigenous health, Aboriginalliaison officers and an Aboriginaldoctor, to share the experiencesof working in Indigenous healthand provide information specificto the needs of specialistanaesthetists and specialist painmedicine physicians.The aim of the series is toimprove communication betweenclinicians and Indigenouspatients, thus facilitatingquality and safe health care.A specific podcast wasdeveloped on communicationwhile acknowledging it is atheme recurrent in the entireseries. Informed consent isalso discussed as it appliesto Indigenous patients. Othertopics include pain management,culture, culture shock, thepreoperative visit, traditionalparenting, interactions withIndigenous patients withIndigenous and non-Indigenousheritage, and diffusing anger.The development of theIndigenous health podcastseries has added an importantnew resource to the College’selectronic learning programsand is available for all Fellows,trainees and internationalmedical graduate specialists.In the future the series will bemade available to specialistsfrom Australasian medicalColleges through the Network forIndigenous Cultural and HealthEducation (NICHE). The NICHEweb portal is an inter-Collegeinitiative designed to a centrallocation for rural and remotespecialists seeking Indigenoushealth resources intended to belaunched later this year.ANZCA teaching and learning casesThe College has developedfour teaching and learningcase studies with a focuson Australian and New ZealandIndigenous patients. These casestudies have been developedas teaching resources integralto ANZCA’s curriculum. Thecase scenarios are clinicallybased and presented in aformat to encourage discussionand reflection rather thandidactic teaching. Each caseis accompanied by facilitatornotes to assist in understandingthe direction of the case, focusthe discussion on areas ofimportance and provide guidanceon the depth of the answersexpected for the trainee’s level oftraining.The case studies are currentlyavailable through ANZCA’swebsite and will be madeavailable to specialists fromAustralasian medical collegesthrough the NICHE web portal.The Flinders AdelaideIndigenous Medical Mentoring(FAIMM) programAs mentioned in the Januarynewsletter ANZCA’s IndigenousHealth Committee has beenworking to expand the FAIMMmodel for mentoring ofIndigenous medical students.A program has now beensuccessfully established inNewcastle, NSW and there isinterest in establishing similargroups in Darwin and Fremantle.The program brings togetherIndigenous medical anddental students with a groupof interested doctors three tofour times a year. In additionFAIMM organizes dinners withIndigenous high school studentswho are in turn providedinformation about university andcareer options by the medicalstudents.For more information on any ofthese initiatives please contactPaul Cargill, Policy Officer,Community Development ANZCAon pcargill@anzca.edu.au or 038517 5393.1This project has been funded by the Department of Health and Ageing under the Rural Health Continuing Education Subprogram(RHCE) Stream One which is managed by the Committee of Presidents of Medical Colleges.The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists is solely responsible for the content of, and views expressed in anymaterial associated with this Project.CPMC NATSIMSFP Newsletter | July 2013 | Page 10