Natives encouraged to become doctors

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The Canadian Medical Association set aside $100,000 to help Natives to become doctors.

The association has established bursary funds in hopes of increasing the number of Native doctors in Canada, currently numbering about 45.

Up to $4,000 will go to each eligible student, to a total of $100,000 over four years.

Natives face inequities which result in poor health, producing data comparable to some of the "worst statistics available for Third World countries and much different from the rest of the Canadian population," said Dr. Harry Edstrom, chairman of the association's council on medical education.

One reason for this lack is contact with doctors and health-care workers in remote areas.

Large numbers of infant deaths are due to the inadequacy of obstetrical services, vaccination programs and early treatment of the usual illnesses of childhood, because of the lack of doctors in some areas, he said.

The medical association is concerned about higher Native death rates, shorter life expectancy - especially among women - and higher suicide rates.

About 3,000 Native doctors are needed to match the ratio of non-Native doctors to the rest of the population, said Alexandra Harrison, director of educational services. Status, non-status, Inuit and Metis in Canada number about 1.5 million.

It is important to maintain contact with families, Native bands and communities while completing studies, according to the Native Physicians Association, and this adds

to the cost of education, Edstrom said.

Another problem is lack of access to science-related programs at some remote schools. The association would like more faculties of medicine to provide programs for Native students to allow upgrading of skills before applying to medical schools, similar to those already offered in Alberta and Manitoba.

The bursaries are available for the coming school year and the program will be evaluated at the end of four years.