Indians Into Medicine University of North Dakota School of Medicine

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Indians Into MedicineUniversity of North
DakotaSchool of Medicine Health Sciences

• Eugene L. DeLorme, J.D., Director and
• Assistant Professor, Family Medicine

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Historical Relations Between the Government and
Tribes

• The British, upon colonization, dealt with the
  Indian tribes as foreign sovereign nations
• The American experience is typified by a policy
  of separating Indians and non-Indians and
  subjecting all interaction between the two to
  federal control by means of a series of Trade and
  Intercourse Acts

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We hold these truths to be self evident

• that all men are created equal. That they are
  endowed by their creator with certain unalienable
  rights.

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Separate and Equal Protection?

• The United States Constitution mandates through
  the equal protection clause that all people be
  treated the same
• The Civil Rights Acts of 1964 statutorily
  prohibit different treatment of people based on
  race, sex, etc.
• According to federal case law, American Indian is
  not a racial classification Morton v. Mancari
  1984

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American Indians and Health Care

• The U.S. Federal Government, based on numerous
  treaties with various tribes is legally obligated
  to provide for the health care of American
  Indians
• Snyder Act of 1921
• Indian Health Care Improvement Act

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INMED Program Overview

• INMED was created in 1973 in response to the
  termination of the federal Doctor Draft
• The program addresses three major problem areas
• Too few health professionals in American Indian
  communities
• Too few American Indian health professionals
• The substandard level of health and health care
  in American Indian communities

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INMED is

• A support program that identifies, recruits,
  retains, and graduates qualified individuals into
  the medical professions, hopefully with the
  outcome that they ultimately serve the
  congressional legislative intent of this program

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The INMED Program Is Designed to

• Increase awareness, interest and motivation for
  health careers among American Indian students
• Recruit and enroll students in the proper
  curricula
• Provide academic, personal, and cultural support
  to aid in successful academic achievement
• Research and develop academic programs to enhance
  Indian health care
• Assist participating students in completing their
  programs of study

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Tribal Board

• The INMED Program assures that it addresses the
  needs and concerns of tribal community through
  the INMED Tribal Board
• The tribal governments of all 24 tribes in North
  Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana and
  Wyoming each appoint a representative to this
  board

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How do we do it?

• Recruit and grow our own
• Summer Institute (90) 7th thru 12th grade
  students, 6 week residential program

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How do we do it?

• Pathway Program 6 week program for tribal
  college graduates
• MCAT Prep 6 week program to prepare college
  juniors and seniors for MCAT
• Pre-matriculation Program for incoming medical
  students

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How do we do it?

• Academic year support program that includes
• Advisement in Financial Aid
• Course selection
• Advocacy
• Tutors
• Social and personal support
• Activities for undergraduate and professional
  students

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M.D. Program

• The UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences
  has added slots specifically for INMED students
• Assistance is afforded INMED medical students
  through four years of medical school and through
  residency

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UNDSMHS Adds 7 Seats Each Class Year for INMED
Students

• The existence of the INMED program adds 7 seats
  to each incoming class. In addition, INMED seats
  have been added to the schools physical and
  occupational therapy programs
• If qualified applicants were not found to fill
  these medical school and allied health seats, the
  seats would disappear
• No qualified general admission candidate has been
  denied an educational opportunity because of
  these added seats

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INMED Medical Students Are

• Enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe
• Fully qualified medical school applicants
• Same admissions committee and admission standards
• Same curricular requirements evaluative
  criteria
• Dedicated to providing health care to Native
  people

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INMED is More Than Doctors

• INMED enrolls an average of 125 students in
  various academic programs each year
• In addition to medicine, students are enrolled
  in
• Physical therapy
• Social work
• Nursing
• Accounting
• Civil engineering
• Counseling
• Clinical lab science
• Dietetics and other health related disciplines

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Accomplishments

• INMED has graduated 187 allied health and nursing
  professionals
• INMED has graduated 179 American Indian
  Physicians
• These numbers include, 14 new health care
  professionals who graduated this past weekend
  including 7 new Medical Doctors, two Doctors of
  Physical Therapy, 5 Nurses and 1 Dietician

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Challenges

• Financial, the loss of federal funding
• Reduction in staff
• No reduction in work load
• Tribal economic conditions

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Final Consideration

• Congress is not providing this opportunity to
  educate American Indians
• The provision is directly tied to Congress need
  to staff federal health care facilities located
  in tribal and large urban communities with
  significant American Indian populations

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INMED
www.med.und.nodak.edu/depts/inmed/home.html 1-800-
CALL UND, ask for INMED program Eugene L.
DeLorme, Director and Assistant Professor, Family
Medicine