The Indigenous Faculty Forum (IFF) aims to create a supportive space for Indigenous faculty in academic medicine to come together, foster community, and develop skills to navigate their academic careers.
2026 INDIGENOUS FACULTY FORUM
When: February 5 - 6, 2026
Where: John A. Burns School of Medicine
Honolulu, Hawaii
Who: The target audience is Indigenous faculty (MD, DO, PhD, PharmD, DNP) at academic medical centers.
Our theme for IFF 2026 is:
E lauhoe mai nā waʻa; i ke kā, i ka hoe; i ka hoe, i ke kā; pae aku i ka ʻāina.
Everybody paddle the canoe together; bail and paddle, paddle and bail, and the shore is reached.
HOSTED BY
IFF 2025: ROOTS OF RESILIENCE
The Indigenous Faculty Forum is open to Indigenous faculty at or affiliated with academic medical centers/schools. Attendees will engage in networking and career development activities, and discuss unique cultural considerations for Indigenous faculty in academia.
When: February 13th – 15th, 2025
Where: Portland State University Native American Student and Community Center (710 SW Jackson St, Portland, OR 97201)
Cost: FREE!
Receive 12 CME Credit Hours!
Target Audience: Indigenous faculty at academic medical centers
A Brief History of NNACoE’s Indigenous Faculty Forum
Indigenous faculty are the most under-represented minority in academic medicine. Indigenous faculty also experience unique challenges such as the complexities of practicing in Tribal or Urban Indian communities, limited information on academic career paths, lack of credit for teaching and community service, isolation, challenges in balancing Indigenous and academic cultures and lack of mentors.
To combat these challenges, NNACoE convened their first Indigenous Faculty Forum in the Fall of 2017, which included culturally relevant sessions, career development support and a focus group to better understand the professional development and other needs of Indigenous faculty.
Over 20 AI/AN faculty from U.S. medical schools participate in the longitudinal forum, representing over 10% of AI/AN physicians in academia nationwide. Attendees engage in networking, receive career support and instruction on key professional competencies, and discuss unique cultural considerations for Indigenous faculty in academia.
