Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative

This paper advances decolonization within medical education, contextualized by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). We discuss, describe, and analyze the history of settler colonialism and its relevance for healthcare and education today. We analyze how Indige...

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Main Authors: Joseph Leblanc, Frances Wesley, George Drazenovich, Paul Capon, Jacinta Oyella, Rachel Rainville
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Critical Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2489466
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author Joseph Leblanc
Frances Wesley
George Drazenovich
Paul Capon
Jacinta Oyella
Rachel Rainville
author_facet Joseph Leblanc
Frances Wesley
George Drazenovich
Paul Capon
Jacinta Oyella
Rachel Rainville
author_sort Joseph Leblanc
collection DOAJ
description This paper advances decolonization within medical education, contextualized by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). We discuss, describe, and analyze the history of settler colonialism and its relevance for healthcare and education today. We analyze how Indigeneity is interpreted in an international context based on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. We situate the current health context in medical education based on data from global sources and the World Health Assembly’s advocacy for advancing Indigenous health equity internationally. As each university is responsible for engaging meaningfully with the First Nations upon whose traditional lands they occupy and using a case-based example of a university–tribal authority partnership, we describe models of culturally informed and community-driven medical education based on our experience. We conclude with promising directions grounded in international Indigenous human rights documents, such as the UNDRIP, and reconciliation efforts from national medical associations that can drive local practice in meaningful directions. We emphasize the need to continue to share experiences through international journals, conferences, and other venues; collaborate on research initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for Indigenous peoples worldwide and locally; and promote culturally competent education.
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spelling doaj-art-c51f6e5c59924e0291925bbda50ee8132025-08-20T02:17:37ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCritical Public Health0958-15961469-36822025-12-0135110.1080/09581596.2025.2489466Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperativeJoseph Leblanc0Frances Wesley1George Drazenovich2Paul Capon3Jacinta Oyella4Rachel Rainville5NOSM University, Thunder Bay, CanadaMatawa First Nations, Matawa Health Cooperative, Thunder Bay, CanadaNOSM University, Thunder Bay, CanadaMatawa First Nations, Matawa Health Cooperative, Thunder Bay, CanadaNOSM University, Thunder Bay, CanadaNOSM University, Thunder Bay, CanadaThis paper advances decolonization within medical education, contextualized by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). We discuss, describe, and analyze the history of settler colonialism and its relevance for healthcare and education today. We analyze how Indigeneity is interpreted in an international context based on the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. We situate the current health context in medical education based on data from global sources and the World Health Assembly’s advocacy for advancing Indigenous health equity internationally. As each university is responsible for engaging meaningfully with the First Nations upon whose traditional lands they occupy and using a case-based example of a university–tribal authority partnership, we describe models of culturally informed and community-driven medical education based on our experience. We conclude with promising directions grounded in international Indigenous human rights documents, such as the UNDRIP, and reconciliation efforts from national medical associations that can drive local practice in meaningful directions. We emphasize the need to continue to share experiences through international journals, conferences, and other venues; collaborate on research initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes for Indigenous peoples worldwide and locally; and promote culturally competent education.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2489466Cultural competencereconciliationindigenous self-determinationsystemic barriers
spellingShingle Joseph Leblanc
Frances Wesley
George Drazenovich
Paul Capon
Jacinta Oyella
Rachel Rainville
Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
Critical Public Health
Cultural competence
reconciliation
indigenous self-determination
systemic barriers
title Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
title_full Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
title_fullStr Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
title_full_unstemmed Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
title_short Advancing culturally competent medical education: decolonizing approaches to Indigenous health as a human rights imperative
title_sort advancing culturally competent medical education decolonizing approaches to indigenous health as a human rights imperative
topic Cultural competence
reconciliation
indigenous self-determination
systemic barriers
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09581596.2025.2489466
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