Evaluating a Lecture on Cultural Competence in the Medical School Preclinical Curriculum

• Published in: Academic psychiatry Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 327 - 331
• Main Authors: Lim, Russell F., Wegelin, Jacob, Hua, Lisa L., Kramer, Elizabeth J., Servis, Mark E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.07.2008; American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Attitude Change; Behavioral Objectives; Behavioral Sciences; Beliefs; Brief Report; Communication Barriers; Course Objectives; Cross Cultural Training; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cultural Competency - education; Cultural Context; Cultural Influences; Education, Medical, Undergraduate; Ethnic Groups; Evaluation; Female; Formative Evaluation; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hmong People; Humans; Instructional Effectiveness; Lecture Method; Likert Scales; Limited English Speaking; Linear Models; Male; Measurement Techniques; Medical Education; Medical Schools; Medical Services; Medical Students; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Monolingualism; Patients; Physician Patient Relationship; Physician-Patient Relations; Program Evaluation; Psychiatry; Questionnaires; Student Attitudes; Teaching Methods; United States; United States; Academic Psychiatry; Competent Health Care; Cultural Competence; Medical Student; Learning Objective
• ISSN: 1042-9670; 1545-7230
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ap.32.4.327

Objective The authors aim to evaluate the effectiveness of a presentation designed to increase cultural competence. Methods A measure was developed to evaluate the attainment of knowledge and attitude objectives by first-year medical students who watched a presentation on the effect of culture on the doctor-patient relationship and effective methods of interpretation for non-English-speaking patients. The test was administered before and after the presentation and data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects regression model. Results Both knowledge and attitudes improved over the course of the lecture. Conclusions Those who give individual presentations in multiple instructor medical school courses should supplement their course evaluations with lecture-specific surveys targeted to their specific learning objectives for knowledge and attitudes.