Medical trainees report appalling racism, harassment

Racism towards Indigenous medical trainees and interns is prompting more than a quarter to consider other careers, a survey shows. Health authorities say societal racism risks further deterioration in health outcomes and challenging attempts to improve life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. More than half of the Indigenous trainees surveyed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency reported experiencing or witnessing racism, bullying, or sexual harassment, compared to a third of trainees in total. Medical Board of Australia chair Anne Tonkin was appalled by the survey results. "Our health system and our community need to do better," Dr Tonkin said. Indigenous practitioners are key to delivering culturally safe healthcare, particularly in remote communities. Among national targets aimed at improving outcomes for Indigenous people is closing the gap in life expectancy by 2031. The target would pass its deadline by the time an aspiring doctor beginning their study in 2025 would qualify, which typically takes at least seven years. More than 80 per cent of survey respondents said it was worth investing the time, reporting their medical school studies prepared them well, but almost two-thirds were stressed over the cost. Almost 30 per cent of Indigenous trainees, and close to one-in-five trainees in total, were considering a career outside of medicine. Dr Tonkin said the racism and harassment trainees reported witnessing and experiencing was a societal issue and not just a problem in the medical sector. "(Survey) results anchor deficits in the culture of medicine firmly to wider community attitudes and behaviours," she said. About half the respondents said patients and their families were the most common source of their reported experiences. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14