Maria B.J. Chun, Ph.D., CHC, CPC-A University of Hawaii at Manoa Department of Surgery, Honors Program DiversityRx Conference Oakland, CA March 12, 2013.
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Maria B.J. Chun, Ph.D., CHC, CPC-AUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
Department of Surgery, Honors ProgramDiversityRx Conference
Oakland, CAMarch 12, 2013
Teaching Cultural Competency to Future
Physicians
ObjectivesDiscuss the impetus for the initial course
Present how the course has evolved over time (including strengths and difficulties)
Share information on the new course that has been developed
Welcome feedback from other panelists, audience
BackgroundInstructor
Trained in community and cultural psychology
Conducts research on cultural competency in medicine (e.g., measuring efficacy of cultural training, cultural standardized patient exams)
Based in the UHM Department of Surgery, which is a part of the John A. Burns School of Medicine
Responded to course development call by UHM Honors Program
Honors 491 (2) – Cultural Competency for the Health ProfessionsFirst taught in Fall 2009Intended for all students (i.e.,
multidisciplinary)Taught from the perspective of
psychology, medicine, and anthropologyFocus was on premedical studentsPlan by prior Honors Director was to
make the course mandatory for all premedical Honors’ students
Average class size 8 to 11 students
Course Topics/Main PointsCulture is defined very broadly; there is
no standardized definition of cultureWhen discussing culture, it needs to be
viewed from multiple perspectives and placed within context
Cultural competency is not a bad termInclusion of cultural humility, social
justice perspectives
Course HighlightsStudents taught research process and work on
either a literature review or a research proposal (in preparation for Honors’ thesis) on a topic of their choice
Topic must have a “cultural” and “health” focusGuest speakers – Health sciences librarians,
cultural experts, M.D.s, Ph.D.sField visits – Community health clinic (Kokua
Kalihi Valley);UH Medical School
Blogging on course readings
Inaugural ClassAll but one student was premed
Very bright students – most were double majors pursuing degrees in both basic sciences and social sciences/arts
StrengthsHighly verbal class, enjoyed discussing
topicsMost had strong writing skillsMost had an easy time selecting a topicDiverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds,
ages, life experiencesResponded to constructive criticism
positively; revisions always showed improvement
Difficulties
Some students were offended/alienated by other class members during discussions on social justice
Despite this being a junior-level Honors course, some students had no clue on how to conduct a basic literature search, how to obtain a copy of a journal article
To make up for this “deficiency,” class can get bogged down in process and lose sight of content
Those not premed can sometimes feel left outDiverse ethnicity, ages
Addressing DifficultiesBetter gauged students’ experience and
maturity levelsAssess students’ skills up front; adjust class
accordinglyAfter a certain point, need to let go of having
students become expert researchersFocus the course on medicine, but include
perspectives from other disciplines – interdisciplinary
Embrace the diversity, utilize it to help teach the course
Summary/ConclusionTeaching the potential impact of “culture” in health care can be challenging, but is mostly rewarding
Discussions and interactions reflect the “real world”
Premedical training can serve as a good basis for future lessons at the UME and GME levels
My New Classhttp://www.honors.hawaii.edu/courses/
course_description.php?course_id=287
Developing Resources for Cross Cultural Health Care (aka Cultural Competency for the Health Professions 2.0)
Students spend the entire class developing a resource that will assist patients, providers, organizations, etc.
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