Cultural immersion placements as a tool for cultural safety education for medical students

Abstract

As medical students, understanding and appreciating the diverse histories, identities, aspirations, cultures, and values of Aboriginal peoples is a crucial first step in the delivery of culturally-safe health care. Cultural immersion placements in Aboriginal communities represent one emerging initiative in helping medical students better understand how to deliver health care in culturally safe ways to and with Aboriginal peoples. Medical students across Canada would therefore be well served by the establishment (or expansion) of cultural immersion placements in partnership with Aboriginal communities through their home faculties of medicine.