Collaboration in First Nations’ Health through Interprofessional Training and Community Engagement

Project Objectives: This project proposes to develop a unique, practice-based Aboriginal health elective, dedicated to engaging both UBC students and Aboriginal communities in the training of future health professionals. Through this elective, students will gain valuable experience working with Aboriginal patients and communities while, at the same time, learning how to work collaboratively as an interprofessional team. In return, Aboriginal community partners will gain improved access to quality health care services as well as increased health-related human resource capacity. The specific project objectives are:

1. To begin to address the lack of health education in Aboriginal health across health professions;
2. To showcase aspects of interprofessional health service delivery for on-site learning for health professional students and to identify best practices for applying interprofessional principles within an Aboriginal care context;
3. To recognize and engage Aboriginal communities as partners in health professional education, particularly in the areas of content and curriculum development;
4. To improve access to health services and education within these communities through innovative partnership between academia and communities;
5. To create a sound model of mutual engagement with partner communities for innovative design and implementation of our university courses' curriculum.

Rationale: Aboriginal communities constitute an essential part of the fabric and heritage of British Columbia. It is vital that during the training of future health professionals (e.g. students from the disciplines of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, rehabilitation sciences, social work etc.), students are provided with hands-on opportunities to learn about Aboriginal culture and values. This project aims to address the lack of education in Aboriginal health across health professions by recognizing Aboriginal communities as partners in health education and professional training. Through this elective, students will gain valuable knowledge and skills to prepare them for a career in health service delivery and managing Aboriginal health care needs.
While there are excellent programs on campus, such as the joint effort between the UBC's First Nations House of Learning and the Faculty of Medicine, this course proposes a much needed practice-based course for students to experience working in an Aboriginal community. Such an experience will be invaluable toward developing students' sense of professionalism, and sensitivity toward Aboriginal culture and values. This project is firmly committed to the principles of collaborative partnership between the university and Aboriginal communities in all aspects of the design, implementation and delivery of this elective.

Methods: This project situates students' academic learning within an intensive four-week immersion ' program, fully guided and informed by Aboriginal community members. Thus far, we have engaged two Aboriginal communities, Mount Currie and Cowichan, as consultants for the course as well as host communities for two teams of five students. Significant student input has already been initiated, particularly in tenns of course design. This project has benefited greatly from the involvement of several health professional students on the project planning committee and the support of the Health Sciences Student Association (HSSA).

In early 2006, we will seek pilot course approval through the College of Health Disciplines so that students may receive credit for the elective, to be delivered in June 2006. Student recruitment/registration is in process will be finalized by February 2006. Faculty recruitment and course structure is also in process and being developed in collaboration with Aboriginal community partners.

Robert Woollward, Continuing Professional Development and Knowledge Translation, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Kendall Ho, Continuing Professional Development and Knowledge Translation, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Evan Tesla Adams, Director, Aboriginal People's Health, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
James Andrew, Aboriginal Programs Coordinator, Aboriginal People's Health, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Framin Mark, Health Science Student Association Representative
Jennifer Kouwenberg, Student, Medicine
Manon A. Beaudrie, Coordinator, Community Liaison, Institute of Aboriginal Health
Sean Nixon, Student, Health Sciences
Leah May Walker, Education Coordinator, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Peter Granger, Medical Coordinator, Three Bridges Community Health Centre / Director, Inner City Medicine, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Lesley Bainbridge, Associate Principal, Interpfroessional Programs, College of Health Disicplines / Director, Interprofessional Education, Faculty of Medicine
Sandra Jarvis-Selinger, Director, Research, Continuing Professional Development and Knowledge Translation, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Helen Novak Lauscher, Assistant Director, Research, Continuing Professional Development and Knowledge Translation, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine / Ph.D. Candidate
Yolanda Liman, Researcher, Continuing Professional Development and Knowledge Translation, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine