Abstract
Purpose: Various tools have been utilized for cultural competency training in residency programs, including cultural standardized patient examinations. However, it is unknown whether residents feel the training they received has a long-term impact on how they care for patients. The purpose of this study was to assess whether surgical residents who participated in a cultural standardized patient examination view the experience as beneficial.Methods: Surgical residents who completed a standardized patient examination from Fall 2009 to Spring 2015 were asked to complete a 13-question survey assessing the following: (1) did participants feel prepared when dealing with patients from different cultural backgrounds, (2) did they feel the standardized patient experience was beneficial or improved their ability to care for patients, and (3) did they perceive that cultural competence was important when dealing with patients.Results: Sixty current/former residents were asked to participate and 24 (40%) completed the survey. All agreed cross-cultural skills were important and almost all reported daily interaction with patients from different cultural backgrounds. Sixteen participants (67%) reported the cultural standardized patient examination aided their ability to care for culturally dissimilar patients, and 13 (54%) said the training helped improve their communication skills with patients. Thirteen (54%) reported they would participate in another cultural standardized patient examination.Conclusion: Development of effective cultural competency training remains challenging. This study provides some preliminary results that demonstrate the potential lasting impact of cultural competency training. Participants found the skills gained from cultural standardized patient examinations helpful.
Highlights
Cultural competency is the ability to communicate effectively and provide consistently excellent care to patients from diverse backgrounds
These skills fall under three categories of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies: patient care, professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills
A majority reported that training helped improve their communication skills and aided in their ability to care for patients from different cultural backgrounds
Summary
Cultural competency is the ability to communicate effectively and provide consistently excellent care to patients from diverse backgrounds. The importance of cultural competency in surgery has been noted.[1,2,3,4,5,6] For example, cultural competency is critical for the development of physician-patient rapport to increase patient adherence and satisfaction.[2] These skills fall under three categories of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies: patient care, professionalism, and interpersonal and communication skills. Despite this recognition, formal cultural competency training programs in surgery are still lacking. Only three programs have ongoing initiatives that have lasted for 7 years or more, with a new initiative at Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s Center for Surgery and Public Health that includes a patient satisfaction/outcome component.[8]
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