Teaching cultural humility and competency: The integration of self into the process

Projections for the increasingly diverse US populations and the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, necessitate acceleration of healthcare professionals and systems to appropriately and effectively address the health and social needs of their communities. Initiatives to provide interpreter and translation services as well as continuing health education programs are positive steps but do not encompass the necessary scope of culturally competent care, either individually or systemically to provide appropriate care/services to diverse populations, reduce health disparities and support positive health outcomes. This presentation describes the structure of the multidisciplinary graduate Cultural Humility and Competency course at an urban health sciences university, as well as the insights and self-reported outcomes gleaned over the six years the course has been offered. The course explores the theoretical and evidence-based practices (e.g. CLAS standards, communication, exemplary organizations) for providing culturally competent care/services. In addition, students engage in skill building activities (e.g., cultural pie, multicultural interviews, assessing and designing organizational and professional improvement cultural competency plans) relevant to their areas of professional practice, while engaging in self-reflection through journaling and on-line class discussions. Public health, pharmacy, occupational therapy, and physicians have participated in the course and demonstrated increased knowledge, awareness, personal insights, and the ability to apply culturally competent skills to their respective practices and organizations. Challenges and opportunities to implement more rigorous evaluation will also be discussed.