Advances in Medical Education and Practice (Jun 2024)
Integrating Cultural Humility into Medical Education Using a Structured and Interactive Workshop
Abstract
Dotun Ogunyemi,1 Birpartap S Thind,2 Amir Teixeira,2 Clarence M Sams,3 Matthias Ojo,3 Grace Anne E Dinkins,1 Dragos Serseni1 1DIO, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education; Charles R Drew University, College of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Medical Student, California University of Science and Medicine, Colton, CA, USA; 3Medical Student, Charles R Drew University, College of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USACorrespondence: Dotun Ogunyemi, DIO, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education Chair, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology Charles Drew University, College of Medicine, 1731 E 120th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90059, Tel +310-279-3538, Email [email protected]: Cultural humility is a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation, redressing power imbalances in patient–physician relationships and developing mutually trusting beneficial partnerships.Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and efficacy of cultural humility training.Methods: From July 2020-March 2021, 90-minute educational workshops attended by 133 medical students, resident physicians and medical education faculty included 1) pre- and post- intervention surveys; 2) interactive presentation on equity and cultural humility principles; 3) participants explored sociocultural identities and power; and 4) reflective group discussions.Results: There were significant increases from pre to post intervention assessments for perception scores (3.89 [SEM= 0.04] versus 4.22 [0.08], p< 0.001) and knowledge scores (0.52 [0.02] versus 0.67 [0.02], p< 0.001). Commonest identities participants recognized as changing over time were personality = 40%, appearance = 36%, and age =35%. Commonest identities experienced as oppressed/subjugated were race/ethnicity = 54%, gender = 40% and religion = 28%; whilst commonest identities experienced as privileged were gender= 49%, race/ethnicity = 42% and appearance= 25%. Male participants assigned mean power score of 73% to gender identity compared to mean power score of − 8% by female participants (P< 0.001). Non-Hispanic Whites had mean power score for race identity of 62% compared to 13% for non-white participants (p< 0.001). English as a second language was only acknowledged as an oppressed/subjugated identity by those born outside the United States (p< 0.001).Conclusion: An interactive educational workshop can increase participants’ knowledge and perceptions regarding cultural humility. Participants can self-reflect to recognize sociocultural identities that are oppressed/subjugated or privileged.Keywords: cultural humility, patient experience, sociocultural identities, intersectionality
