Do you have what it takes to serve on Indigenous lands?
There are a few things we hear regularly from our providers – it’s rewarding, they love their team, and they love the community they serve. Sometimes, though, we hear something else. “This is different from what I’m used to.” Or: “I’ve never worked in a facility like this.”
Working with Indigenous communities is a privilege and an incredible opportunity – and it takes more than good intentions. What it does take: curiosity, humility, compassion, and a willingness to learn about a new culture. A willingness to find out what your new patients and coworkers value. Sometimes, it means learning where providers have gotten it wrong before and trying to create a more culturally connected way of delivering care.
That’s why we’re excited to launch a new tool: a short, reflective quiz designed to help healthcare workers assess their own readiness to serve on Indigenous lands.
Why We Built This Quiz
Too often, providers arrive at an Indian Health Service or 638 facility with great clinical skills, but no context or preparation. They don’t understand the culture they’re walking into or the intergenerational history of the community, and they definitely don’t realize the clinical discrimination some of their patients have experienced. It usually starts with good intentions and well-meaning work, but it ends in an approach that alienates both patients and care teams.
Other times, providers are ready for those dynamics. What they aren’t ready for: working two or more hours away from the nearest shop or restaurant. Or delivering care in a facility that doesn’t have the equipment or resources they’re used to.
Our provider quiz helps you accurately identify whether or not this is the right kind of opportunity for you. It’s for your eyes only; not a test that you pass or fail, but a mirror that can predict whether you’ll be fulfilled doing this kind of work. For some healthcare workers, serving Native patients is the most gratifying chapter of their career. For others, it’s just not the right fit.
Our quiz helps you get a better sense of that before you arrive on site. It takes less than two minutes – give it a try here.