“Art Days: Two medical students reflect on the value of cultural immersion and cultural safety”

The concepts of cultural immersion, cultural competence, and cultural safety are explored in the context of two medical students’ experiences contributing to qualitative research on a northern BC First Nations reserve. The project Art Days, a partnership between the Nak’azdli Health Centre and the UNBC Northern Medical Program, looks at the potential of artistic expression as a way for people to feel better and to articulate what is needed for their healing and wellbeing. A narrative and reflective approach are used to capture the students’ experience being culturally immersed. Cultural competence and cultural safety are briefly discussed. Greater integration of cultural safety within our medical curricula, as well as a cultural safety framework inside health care delivery models, are needed.