Why Australia needs a national college of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health

Abstract

[Extract] The recent article by Parker presents an interesting case for the establishment of a national academic college of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. The notion has been considered within Aboriginal health policy forums in the past, and the federal parliamentary Inquiry into Indigenous Health noted that an exploration of the merits of creating a new medical specialty for health care providers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was arguably favourable. On the other hand, the concept has not gained significant support from some existing medical colleges. Broadly, the arguments supporting a college of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health are that the subject is a national health priority, the subject has its own specialised literature, practice within an Aboriginal cultural framework is a specialised activity, technical aspects of health care delivery often require specialist knowledge, and providers of health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples often act as consultants for other practitioners and policy development. The contrary view is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is a health science sub-discipline within general practice, and that existing structures satisfy training needs.