Close The Gap 2022

This year we ran an online informal survey. This was given to all medical students at UTAS from years 1 to 5. We were hoping that this would shed some light on the opinions and feelings amongst medical students on the issues of cultural awareness and readiness on entering the clinical environment. We wanted to highlight perhaps the gaps in medical students’ skill base and motivate further training regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. We had a great response to the survey, with over 200 students participating.

This ran parallel to an afternoon tea that we organised for students attending the Rural Clinical School in Burnie. This was an opportunity to motivate engagement with the survey as well as a chance to have a good yarn about the issues of Close the Gap.

Furthermore, we continued the tradition of a Close the Gap information session/presentation. Our speaker this year was Sarah Gelbart, a Tasmanian doctor working both here in the community as well as at the university and in the Northern Territory.  She was able to share her experiences with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health as well as share some great resources with the younger students.