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

Sample Syllabus

http://www.honors.hawaii.edu/courses/course_description.php?course_id=210

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.

Thank You!Email:mariachu@hawaii.edu

CCHC 2015:www.cchc-conference.com