Healing Through Representation: An Integrative Review of American Indian and Alaska Native Students in Health Professions Education
This review synthesizes findings from 14 peer-reviewed studies to identify what helps, and what hinders, AI/AN student success in health professions education.
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) professionals remain underrepresented in health care, a gap that deepens health disparities and limits culturally relevant care. AI/AN students pursuing health professions often face financial barriers, cultural isolation, and systemic discrimination. Key challenges include curricula that overlook Indigenous knowledge, a shortage of AI/AN faculty and mentors, and the difficulty of balancing professional training with cultural identity. Proven interventions, such as culturally tailored mentorship, financial support, and targeted retention programs, have improved retention and graduation rates. The findings call for lasting institutional change: integrating Indigenous perspectives into curricula, strengthening partnerships with tribal colleges and universities, and holding institutions accountable for advancing equity. While short-term programs provide essential support, closing the gap requires long-term structural reform and continued research.