title: Innovation in Indigenous Health and Medical Education: The Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network as a Community of Practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network aims to improve the quality and effectiveness of Indigenous health in medical education as well as best practice in the recruitment, retention, and graduation of Indigenous medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article we explore the utility of Etienne Wenger's "communities of practice" (CoP) concept in providing a theoretical framework to better understand the LIME Network as a form of social infrastructure to further knowledge and innovation in this important area of health care education reform.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Network operates across all medical schools in Australia and New Zealand.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Utilizing a model of evaluation of communities of practice developed by Fung-Kee-Fung et al., we seek to analyze the outcomes of the LIME Network as a CoP and assess its approach and contribution to improving the implementation of Indigenous health in the medical curriculum and the graduation of Indigenous medical students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  By reflecting on the Network through a community of practice lens, this article highlights the synthesis between the LIME Network and Wenger's theory and provides a framework with which to measure Network outputs. It also posits an opportunity to better capture the impact of Network activities into the future to ensure that it remains a relevant and sustainable entity.
authors.affiliation: a Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network and Melbourne Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne , Parkville , Victoria , Australia.
authors.forename: Odette
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mazel
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ewen
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D019058:Community Networks; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D009520:New Zealand; D058996:Quality Improvement
keywords: Indigenous health; communities of practice; medical education