The CFPC underscores the unique considerations for Indigenous health in medical education

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) is pleased to release the CanMEDS–Family Medicine Indigenous Health Supplement. It outlines Indigenous-specific considerations relevant to all areas of physicians’ professional activity, from medical expertise to advocacy and academic pursuits. This important resource, developed by the CFPC’s Indigenous Health Committee, complements CanMEDS–Family Medicine 2017—a competency framework that outlines the skills and abilities required for Canadian family physicians—and aims to optimize positive Indigenous health outcomes through a commitment to lifelong learning.

The document elaborates on the seven key CanMEDS-FM roles—the Family Medicine Expert, Communicator, Collaborator, Leader, Health Advocate, Scholar, and Professional—and defines each role in the context of Indigenous tradition. It focuses on supporting therapeutic relationships and creating a culturally safe patient experience that considers the unique needs, circumstances, and strengths of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis patients and their communities.

“This resource provides medical educators and academic leaders with a framework to prepare learners on how to engage in care that authentically respects the cultural, historical, political, and social contexts of Indigenous peoples,” says Dr. Sarah Funnell, CFPC Board Director and Co-chair of the CFPC’s Indigenous Health Committee. “Family doctors are often the first point of care and it is imperative that they have the critical knowledge and skills needed to support effective therapeutic interactions that are culturally safe, informed, and free of racism and discrimination.”

Learn more here.