Research into the education of health professionals requires an understanding of the education that they already receive, and the cultural and societal norms and prejudices that are imbedded in this education. Making Health Education appropriate and applicable to the culture and society of the professionals being educated is important in furthering the development of a holistic and representative health system.
As a corollary to this, Health Professionals working in communities need to have knowledge of community identities and social practices in order to assist patients appropriately. There may be cultural practices and norms which health professional are unaware of, which make treating people a more complex problem than just diagnosis, medication, and advice. DRILL researchers will explore the education they receive, and its application in community, so as to explore best practice in Health Professions Education, and advise how to improve this within the South African context.