13/07/2025
Over 50% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are under the age of 25, ABS 2023. The next generation is now and they need to be heard and supported.
Anika Gosling, a Wadjuk Noongar woman from Perth, is a part of the next generation of Indigenous Health Care Professionals looking to make a difference in bridging the well being gap between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal youth health. She was awarded this yearās NAIDOC Youth of the Year award for her dedicated work as a School Psychologist for Aboriginal Youth. She cites that her passion for youth mental health comes from an understanding how wellbeing impacts development, and is reflected in disparities in measures like infant mortality rates, preparedness for schooling and hospitalisations.
The next generation is here, and as future doctors, we need to listen. Australiaās healthcare future will be shaped by a generation of First Nations youth. Many are growing up in rural and remote communities, facing unique strengths and challenges that we, as medical students, must understand.
To provide care that is effective, respectful and equitable, we need to be aware of the social, cultural and historical forces that impact First Nations young people ā including racism, displacement, and intergenerational trauma ā as well as the strength found in connection to culture, Country, and community.
Being a good rural doctor isnāt just about clinical skill, Itās about listening, learning, and advocating just as Anika has done.
This NAIDOC Week, we reflect on what it means to support the strength, vision and legacy of the next generation ā and how that begins with cultural humility in our training today.
You can learn more about Anikaās role in Aboriginal Youth Mental Health here: https://www.thejilyainstitute.com.au/anika-gosling/
