Mentorship, Readiness to Practice & Evaluation Research

Conversations and key publications, primarily led by Dr. Adam Murry, examining how “readiness to practice” can be defined and applied across health and Indigenous health contexts.

This area of work maps competencies for Indigenous health research, reviews factors that shape clinician readiness to work with Indigenous populations, and explores mentorship practices that support Indigenous capacity in the health sciences.

Short conversations with lead researchers from the IPHCPR Network on mentorship, workforces, and readiness to practice.

Conversations

Implications of Indigenous Employment Research

Dr. Adam Murry reflects on what it means that Indigenous employment research remains fragmented and rarely centred on Indigenous workers themselves. He points to the lack of a coherent field, the absence of synthesis, and the broader implications this has for economic opportunity, especially for young Indigenous people.

Mentorship and Career Pathways

Drs. Adam Murry and Rita Henderson reflect on mentorship as more than academic support. They discuss the difficulty many students have in articulating why they are in school or where they want to go next, and describe mentorship as a way to help people identify role models, understand career paths, and navigate between Indigenous and non-Indigenous spaces with greater confidence and clarity.

Indigenous Employment Across the Work Cycle

Dr. Adam Murry discusses findings from Indigenous Experiences Across the Work Employment Cycle, using content analysis to map what the literature says across different stages of employment. He identifies two recurring patterns: discrimination and negative experiences, and the work Indigenous employees do to succeed without compromising their values. He also points to important gaps, including the near absence of research on retirement and job exit.

Mentorship, Listening, and Learning in Practice

Dr. Amrita Roy discusses how researchers develop the skills needed to work in Indigenous health contexts, including listening, humility, and openness to correction. She describes learning as a relational process shaped through engagement with communities and adapting to community governance and expectations over time.

Select Publications:

  • 📌 Le Huray, L., et al. (2023). Readiness to Practice in Health Care: An Empirical Definition Based on a Content Analysis of the Literature.

    Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 54(7), 302–312. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20230620-03

    Despite its widespread use, readiness to practice has lacked a clear, shared definition across health professions. This article addresses that gap through a content analysis of 108 empirical studies, mapping out the core components of R2P as they appear in the literature.

    The research team identify seven domains—including clinical and social experiences, personal attributes, and onboarding—that shape whether health professionals are perceived as ready for practice. Rooted in real-world consequences, including patient harm, the study brings much-needed clarity to how we define, measure, and support the transition from education to practice.

  • 📌 Murry A et al. (2025). Ready to Practice Indigenous Health Research? An Integrative Framework of Indigenous Health Research Competencies for NEIHR Network Evaluation, Training, and Selection.

    International Journal of Indigenous Health, 20(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.32799/ijih.v20i1.42213

    This study used competency modelling with Alberta NEIHR members to identify the knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes needed for Indigenous health research. From 151 statements, the team derived 42 non-redundant competencies, including Indigenous methodologies, relational practice, humility, and openness to learning. The framework shows how individual researcher capacity underpins broader evaluation, training, and selection goals, linking readiness to practice with Indigenous research priorities.

  • 📌 Marchand, T., et al. (2025). Reimagining Indigenous Healthcare Through a Readiness to Practice Lens: A Quantitative Content Analysis of the Empirical Literature.

    Canadian Journal of Public Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-024-00989-0

    A systematic review of literature from Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia examined what enables clinicians to be ready to practice with Indigenous populations. Quantitative coding and factor analysis revealed four core elements: relational disposition, decolonized practice, cultural immersion, and Indigenous professional support. The field is still new, with few studies naming explicit competencies, and the authors recommend greater involvement of Indigenous stakeholders and targeted education programs.

  • 📌 Murry, A. et al. (2021). Indigenous Mentorship in the Health Sciences: Actions and Approaches of Mentors.

    Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 34(3), 266–276. https://doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2021.1912610

    Using critical incidents and focus groups with Indigenous faculty, this study identified behaviours that define Indigenous mentorship in the health sciences. In addition to academic, professional, and psychosocial support, mentors taught relationalism, followed cultural protocols, fostered Indigenous identity, and advocated on behalf of mentees. These behaviours distinguish Indigenous mentorship from mainstream models and show why tailored programs are needed to support Indigenous students.

  • 📌 Murry, A. T., & James, K. (2021). Reconciliation and industrial–organizational psychology in Canada.
    Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 53(2), 114–124.
    https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000237

    Situates industrial–organizational psychology in relation to reconciliation in Canada, with a focus on Indigenous employment and work. It reviews existing scholarship and proposes conceptual, methodological, and practice-based shifts to support ethical research, Indigenous workers, and emerging Indigenous researchers.