Closing the Gap
TMT’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Training
TMT’s Training Program includes a significant focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Training, which is one of the few compulsory elements of the GP Training curriculum. This reflects the need for improvement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and the vital role of primary care, including General Practice, in providing advocacy and support for health initiatives. All GP Registrars will have some Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients and it is hoped that a number of GP Registrars will work more directly in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services during their training time.
TMT draws on expertise from its partnership with Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC); resident experts at local Aboriginal Medical Services across the region; hospitals and primary health care clinics that have a degree of community control. Through racially and culturally driven discussion, leadership practices, workshops, and community involvement, the immersion program creates awareness of health issues.
- 2 day Cross Cultural workshop – GP Registrars gain a better understanding of intercultural relations and how individual communities are interconnected through immersion in a program that puts an emphasis on the value of diversity.
- Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS) handbook and website links to health services.
- GP Registrars’ cultural awareness and information program in communities and highly populated urban areas.
- Protocols when working with people, communities and/or rural townships.
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health training session/presentation at GPT1 & GPT2 workshops x 4.
- Invitation to attend biennial (2011) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Dance Festival held in Laura, a world-renowned unique insight into the culture.
- Identifying/sourcing ‘cultural mentors’ within a specific community to mentor GP Registrars working within a highly populated health services, community or rural townships.
