Medical Trainees Comfort and Confidence in Providing Care to Arab and Muslim Patients at a Large Academic Medical Center

Abstract

Phenomenon There are currently 3.5 million Americans of Arab descent and 3.45 million Muslims living in the United States. These rapidly growing populations face significant health disparities, which is likely in part due to the lack of culturally competent physicians trained to treat these populations. While the Institute of Medicine calls for cross-cultural training for all providers, it is not clear if this need is being met. The purpose of this study is to examine medical trainees’ current level of cultural training and whether this corresponds to confidence in caring for Arab and Muslim patients. Approach The authors created an anonymous survey that was distributed via email to medical students and residents at Michigan Medicine between January and March 2020. Questions included trainees’ comfort and confidence level in caring for Arab and Muslim patients, as well education received on this topic. Findings Results showed that 41% of respondents were confident in their ability to take a history from an Arab patient immigrated to the U.S. Additionally, 55% of non-Muslim participants reported that they felt comfortable in caring for fasting patients, while only 24% felt confident in their ability to answer patient questions about fasting. Approximately half of respondents felt confident in their ability to examine an Arabic-speaking woman (47%) or woman wearing a hijab (49%). The majority of respondents had not received any training or education in the care of Arab patients (64%) or fasting patients (81%). Insight Medical trainees at one large academic medical center in the state with the second largest Arab-American population, and one of the largest populations of Muslim-Americans lack comfort and confidence in providing culturally competent care for Arab and Muslim patients. Education of trainees about Arab and Muslim health should be implemented into the curriculum to optimize care delivered to this patient population.