The Mini-Med School and Its Impact on Future Health Care Professionals' Attitudes toward Indigenous People

• Published in: Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2021-11, Vol.32 (4), p.2043-2054
• Main Authors: Moderie, Christophe, Drouin, Éric, Rioux, Richard, Thommeret-Carrière, Anne-Sophie, Béland, Sébastien, Leduc, Jean-Michel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; Bias; College students; Curricula; Health behavior; Health care; Health Personnel; Health sciences; Health services; Humans; Indigenous Peoples; Likert scale; Medical personnel; Medical students; Native peoples; Optometry; Prejudice; Questionnaires; Satisfaction; Schools; Social work; Sociodemographics; Students; Training; Undergraduate students
• ISSN: 1049-2089; 1548-6869; 1548-6869
• DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2021.0181

Mini-Med Schools (MiMS) are an opportunity for health sciences and social work undergraduates to discuss health-related topics with Innu and Atikamekw youth in Canada. More than 500 undergraduates and 1,000 students have taken part in the project since its beginning in 2011. This study aims to assess the impact of both 1) MiMS's predeparture training and 2) the MiMS themselves on undergraduates' prejudices toward Indigenous peoples. Satisfaction of the undergraduates taking part in the activity was also assessed. Seventy-eight undergraduates were recruited and completed the Old-fashioned and Modern Prejudiced Attitudes Toward Aboriginals Scales (O-PATAS and M-PATAS) at baseline, after the pre-departure training, and after the MiMS. They also completed satisfaction surveys. This study shows a reduction of prejudices after participating to a MiMS, but no effect of a pre-departure training. The activities were overall appreciated by undergraduates and most of them would like to take part again in the MiMS.