A program aimed at increasing the number of Indigenous medical students has received $680,000 to continue its important work.
Federal Regional Health Minister Mark Coulton announced the federal funding for the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network at the University of Newcastle on Wednesday.
The funding will support the national program for another 12 months and will go towards teaching Indigenous health in medical education; recruiting, retaining and mentoring Indigenous medical students; engaging with peak medical and Indigenous organisations and sharing information on research, experiences and initiatives.
Professor Peter O'Mara, director of the Thurru Indigenous Health Unit at UoN's School of Medicine and Public Health, said LIME made a huge contribution to the work at the health unit, and had been instrumental in growing the number of Indigenous medical students.
"In 2020, 10 percent of our commencing joint medical program students were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders," he said. "We're going to have 17 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors graduate from the program this year, which is a huge step. I think that's unprecedented numbers in these unprecedented times.
"I'm really pleased the government has seen what we're doing is a priority."
Mr Coulton said over the years there had been "squandered talent" where Indigenous people could have succeeded in medicine or other ventures, but hadn't been given the opportunity.
"We don't have a shortage of doctors in this country we've just got a maldistribution," he said. "We don't want to keep making the same mistakes, so we've got to pick out things that win. That's why we're supporting the LIME program because they've got runs on the board."
Medical student and Wiradjuri man Kieran Shipp said programs like LIME helped students with the difficulties that come with university.
"For a lot of students who come down here, it's tough," he said. "The degrees tough, being away from family's tough, but having people who understand where you've come from and what you require is really important."
While in Newcastle, Mr Coulton also visited NSW Regional Health Partners, which aims to improve health outcomes for people in regional and remote areas.
NSW Regional Health Partners director Professor Christine Jorm said the organisation had worked with the other two National Health and Medical Research Council accredited centres (Central Australia and the Tropical North) to achieve recognition for the importance of regional, rural and remote health and medical research to build healthier rural communities.
"The need for rural representation, the importance of health and education in rural economies and the need to develop career opportunities, which include research opportunities, to support rural clinician recruitment and retention - are arguments that are now being heard," Professor Jorm said.
Mr Coulton said he had an interest in this area as part of the encouragement for young professionals to go work in regional and remote areas was being able to reach the top of their field.
"Part of that is research," he said. "So country people are getting the benefit of cutting edge research but also health professionals are able to get to the top of their field and research different things."
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