Title: Institute Scholars
Location: Yakama Nation
There is approximately a 20% healthcare provider vacancy rate within the Indian Health Service. I hope that by becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner I can help increase access to healthcare for Native peoples. I also hope to incorporate public health measures into the IHS system to improve quality of care and patient outcomes.
Biography
Kyle Durrant is currently a student at Columbia University in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, training to be a Family Nurse Practitioner. In the future he plans on working within the tribal healthcare system. Until then his current tasks include clinical coursework, attending lectures, completing simulation/skills lab activities, and participating in clinical rotations and practicums.
Kyle received his Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of Washington. He learned about the Johns Hopkins Public Health Training Certificate for Health Professionals during his research of graduate schools. He stated he was not aware of any other program that was specifically tailored for AI/AN health professionals like Johns Hopkins program. At his current school, Columbia University, it is difficult to find any courses that even address public health issues within Indigenous communities. Johns Hopkins offers the equipped education for people wanting to address public health problems with an Indigenous approach, which is what he is striving to do. Since attending the institute course, An Interdisciplinary Approach to Understanding the Health of American Indians, he feels that he has become more culturally competent, and learned more about current evidenced-based public health practices when working with Native communities. He feels he was provided with the necessary information to conduct public health research ethically in collaboration with tribal nations.