Clinical Training Within an Indigenous Community: a Qualitative Description of Pediatric Residents' Learning Experiences

Objectives: Indigenous children and families experience inequities across health domains. Calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada have highlighted the need for medical professionals to better understand these inequities and improve the provision of culturally safe services through collaboration between Indigenous communities and medical residency programs. There are currently no published evaluations of clinical training for Canadian medical residents within Indigenous communities. The current study was conducted at an on-reserve pediatric outreach clinic (Maskwacis Pediatric Outreach Clinic; MPOC).

Methods: From the perspectives of pediatric residents, the researchers explored the impacts of attending MPOC during resident training. Residents completed anonymous surveys over an 18-month period that addressed patient and caregiver encounters, the value of MPOC on resident training, significant pediatric health issues in the community, and limitations of MPOC in contributing to training. Seven residents participated in a focus group that expanded upon survey results.

Results: Thirty-four surveys were completed. Responses reflected an enhanced understanding of social, environmental, and systemic contributors to health issues, and learning regarding the complexity of circumstances that Indigenous children and families face. Focus group results were organized into the impacts of MPOC on (1) residents and (2) patients, with several sub-categories.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that direct clinical exposure to Indigenous child health issues is a valuable educational experience for pediatric residents. The importance of strength-based approaches to educating medical residents regarding the social determinants of health and colonial contexts of Indigenous health disparities is also identified.