National Medical Education Review: A review of the implementation of the Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework and the Healthy Futures Report within Australian medical schools

Work on the joint review of the implementation of the AIDA’s Healthy Futures Report and the CDAMS (now Medical Deans) Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework within all Australian Medical Schools began in early September. The work is the first comprehensive review of the implementation of the CDAMS framework to be undertaken since its inception in 2005; and the first review of Healthy Futures since it was published in the same year.

The project, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, involves documenting how Australian medical schools have developed and implemented the AIDA’s Healthy Futures Report and the Medical Deans’ Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework over this period and making recommendations for ensuring continuous improvement of the Framework and its implementation. As the Review will be conducted across all Australian medical schools, it will also promote successful initiatives and address barriers involved in implementing and integrating the Healthy Futures Report and the Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework.

The final report of the Review will include a set of tailored recommendations to Medical Deans as an organisation to consider. Additionally, a report on the specific findings within each individual Medical School will be provided to each school.

The Project Manager for the Medical Deans – AIDA review, Joe Cavanagh, is currently in the process of obtaining ethics approval, establishing the Review’s Steering Committee and Technical Reference Group to help inform and direct the Review, and conducting initial meetings with medical school staff and key stakeholders. Over the course of the Project, interviews, focus groups and surveys will be conducted within each Medical School.

The already established LIME Network and their significant knowledge within the field of research will be an invaluable resource and integral to the success of the project. LIME Network members within each Medical School are therefore considered as key contacts and will be able to significantly contribute to the Review’s outcomes.

UPDATE:

The title for the Medical Deans – AIDA National Indigenous Health Review has recently been altered to more clearly define the nature of the research. The new project title, in its long form, is: Medical Deans – AIDA National Medical Education Review: A review of the implementation of the Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework and the Healthy Futures Report within Australian medical schools.
 
The Project, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, is currently in the data analysis phase. In total 133 medical school staff members participated in interviews and submitted audit proformas for the review. These staff included all Australian medical Deans, faculty managers, heads of teaching and learning and key staff involved in implementing the Indigenous Health Curriculum Framework and the Healthy Futures Indigenous student recruitment and retention strategies. A total of 142 Indigenous and non-Indigenous students participated in focus group sessions. In the coming months participants will receive their interview or focus group summaries for accuracy checking and final comments so that individual medical school reports can be developed.
 
The Project Manager, Joe Cavanagh, would like to acknowledge and thank all those who have participated.

The final report will provide an overview of Australian medical schools’ implementation of the two initiatives along with specific ‘Indigenous health’ initiatives and common barriers associated with implementation. This report is due for completion either towards the end of this year or early 2012.
 

For more information: Contact Joe Cavanagh on: jcavanagh@medicaldeans.org.au