Delivering culturally safe care and the power of deep community engagement with Dr Raj Sundar MD

Send us Fan Mail        In S4 E 1 I am delighted to introduce Dr Raj Sundar MD.  Raj  is a full-spectrum family physician, associate medical director  and community organizer. He hosts the fabulous Healthcare for Humans podcast, a space dedicated to educating others on how to care for culturally diverse communities so they can be better healers. He works with others to create systems which treat each person with dignity, respect their histories, celebrate their joys, and honour their hopes. His leadership  vision is to create conditions that enable others to achieve a shared purpose. It’s a leadership based on enabling, facilitating, and sharing power.        This is a powerful episode which left me with many questions and much to reflect on.  We discuss Raj's own story of medicine to date drawing on the role our history, culture and ancestry can play in our journeys.   Dr Sundar inspires as a clinician with a deep sense of self, values and purpose cultivated over time and with experience and deep work.  We discuss what it means to deeply engage community and explains his role and work as a community organizer.            At the core of this conversation is Raj's mission to care of his patients in a culturally safe, inclusive and truly holistic way, inspiring fellow clinicians to do likewise, in spite of the undeniable systemic challenges and barriers we face.  He explains the important distinction between cultural competence and cultural safety and sensitivity in a way I have never previously heard it described, leaving me deeply curious about the work we have to do individually and collectively.         I have been moved, challenged and motivated by the words and actions of this inspiring clinician and I know you will be too.  Thank you Raj for the community you are growing and for the work you step up to do every day. Enjoy Links/ references :Dr Raj Sundar https://twitter.com/KRajSundarHealthcare for humans Podcast and Website https://www.healthcareforhumans.orgRaj's Book recommendation:https://www.harpercollins.com/products/sand-talk-tyson-yunkaporta?variant=32280908103714Healing the Professional Culture of Medicine Mayo Clinic Proceedings Special Article vol 94, issue 8, P1556-1566. August 2019Tait D Shanafelt, MD et al https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.03.026Rate, review, subscribe:https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-mind-full-medic-podcast/id151355941The Mind Full Medic Podcast is proudly sponsored by the MBA NSW-ACT Find out more about the charitable organisation supporting doctors and their families and/ or donate today at www.mbansw.org.auDisclaimer: The content in this podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care professional. Moreover views expressed here are our own and do not  necessarily reflect those of  our employers or other official organisations.