Workshop VIII: Making the Case for Cultural Proficiency: A Workshop for Medical Educators

Does your institution support the premise that providing culturally sensitive care promotes positive health outcomes for patients? Would you like assistance in the practical aspects of implementing and evaluating a cultural competence curriculum? This 8-hour, preconference workshop will apply known best practices to assist medical educators to develop, implement, and evaluate cultural competency curricula appropriate for any level of learner (students, residents, other health professionals). Workshop format will be approached from a train-the-trainer perspective. Teaching methods will be explored. A curriculum assessment instrument, the Tool for Assessing Cultural Competency Training, will be introduced as well as learner assessment tools. Educational strategies recognized as successful for cultural competency instruction will be used and include lecture-discussion, small-group exercises, role-play, simulation, demonstration, and videotape review. The workshop will target skill, knowledge, and attitude elements and participants will come away with resources they may apply at home. A group of ethnically diverse workshop instructors with considerable experience in faculty development for cultural competency has been convened. Instructors are members of the National Consortium on Multicultural Education for Health Professionals and are recipients of National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Cultural Competence and Health Disparities Academic Awards.

Workshop Objectives

  1. Consider practical aspects of and challenges to implementing and evaluating cultural competency curriculum.
  2. Apply one tool that can assist them with curriculum development and assessment.
  3. Identify three teaching methods (best practices) and distinguish in which educational activity each method can best be used.
  4. Evaluate one strategy each for assessment of learner attitudes, skills, and knowledge.
  5. Experience one strategy each for attitudes, skills, and knowledge.
  6. Design one activity (60-minute large-group session or 90-minute small-group activity) they can implement at home.