Disrupting Health Professions Education: The Need to Strengthen Educator Skills in Order to Reduce Health Inequities Imposed in Indigenous Peoples

Globally, health inequities persist for Indigenous peoples. Socio-historic-political circumstances, including colonisation, contribute. Health professions courses now mandate Indigenous health curriculum. However, little was known about educator and student interactions with curriculum. This research examined impacts of Indigenous health curriculum on health professional students and the experiences and perspectives of educators. The study revealed problematic centring of non-Indigenous peoples’ and de-centring of Indigenous peoples in curriculum implementation. Current learning and teaching responses provide an insufficient response to health inequity. Development of student and educator skills to mitigate inequity is needed, while decentring non-Indigenous people, and respecting Aboriginal leadership throughout curriculum implementation.