The Experiences of Indigenous Health Care Professionals in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Medicine in a Canadian Context

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has noted that we need more Indigenous representation in the health professions in order to improve quality of care provided to Indigenous peoples. In doing so, we will be providing health care that is more likely to meet the needs of the Indigenous population in Canada. While efforts to recruit and retain Indigenous health care professionals have been rising in the past decade, the number of Indigenous health care professionals remains small. Further, minimal literature exists outlining the everyday experiences of Indigenous individuals who do enter and work in the health professions. Gaining a better understanding of the experiences of Indigenous health professionals will allow for a deeper view into the choices they make that shape where they choose to practice and how long they stay. This work aims to determine best ways to support Indigenous health professionals, including determining factors that influence recruitment and retention rates.