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Factors that Promote the Recruitment of American Indians and Alaska Natives into (AI/ANs) Medicine
Understanding the factors that support recruitment and retention of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) health professionals is crucial in increasing the supply of health professionals most likely to serve the AI/AN population. To that end, project investigators have conducted a study to identify the factors that promote the recruitment and retention of AI/ANs into medicine. The study interviewed AI/AN medical students enrolled at the University of Washington and explored the facilitators and barriers that led them to apply to, and enroll in, medical school. Results have been published was working papers #86 and #101, and in Academic Affairs (see Hollow et al., 2006).
Publications
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American Indians and Alaska Natives: How Do They Find Their Path to Medical School?
Author(s): Walter B. Hollow, Davis G. Patterson, Polly M. Olsen, Laura-Mae Baldwin
Citation: Academic Medicine, 81(10), S65-S69
Date: 2006
Describes findings of a study to understand the supports and barriers that American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students encountered on their path to successful medical school entry.
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Clearing the Path to Medical School for American Indians and Alaska Natives: New Strategies
Author(s): Walter B. Hollow, Apanakhi Buckley, Davis G. Patterson, Polly M. Olsen, Joycelyn Dorscher, Rustem Medora, Lori Morin, R. Steven Padilla, Jerry Tahsequah, Laura-Mae Baldwin
Report Number: Working Paper No. 101
Date: 01 / 2006
Two recent studies examining recruitment and retention of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) in medical school identified significant challenges in the pursuit of a medical career by AI/AN students: the academic rigor of medical
school, the needs of their communities and families, financial concerns, feelings that their perspectives on healing and spirituality were excluded from medical school, and the paucity of role models and mentors, especially those who shared their culture. Using the results of this research and their experience conducting programs to support AI/ANs pursuing health professions, the authors recommend several strategies for improving recruitment and retention of AI/AN medical students. These strategies include: 1. providing role models, advisors, and mentors; 2. providing early research opportunities by involving AI/AN communities in research on Native health issues; 3. anticipating students' traditional Native spiritual practices; 4. providing professional socialization opportunities for faculty and AI/AN medical students; 5. creating and implementing rigorous curricula that include indigenous perspectives; and
6. developing a pro-diversity institutional mission statement to inform admissions policies. The authors identify governmental and nongovernmental organizations in a position to fund and implement these strategies, as well as a list of resources. Collaboration with AI/AN individuals, organizations, and communities is critical to this effort but not a familiar role for most academic medical centers; suggestions for cross-cultural outreach and collaboration are provided.
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