A New Expectation

As a new generation of medical professionals enters the workforce, there will need to be a new standard for communication between patients and healthcare workers. Of course, it is impossible to rid these new medical professionals of their implicit bias, but it is necessary for them to receive education in cultural competency. We recommend that in the long run, medical school students will be required to attend multiple cultural sensitivity trainings and/or take courses that educate them in cultural competency in the workforce, in order to make medical visits a more positive experience for both patients and physicians. The Journal of Nursing Scholarship conducted a study in which groups of healthcare providers were assigned to cultural sensitivity training, and the results were “increased open-mindedness and cultural awareness, improved understanding of multiculturalism, and ability to communicate with minority people.” Patients who received care from the trained professionals “showed improvement in utilizing social resources and overall functional capacity without an increase in health care expenditures.”

The focus for medical students is often on diagnosis and treatment methods. However, without effective communication with patients, understanding only the workings of the physical body becomes completely useless. If patients don’t have access to healthcare workers that understand their unique backgrounds and experiences, the opportunity for misunderstandings increases, and attempted treatments could be ineffective. Overcoming language and cultural barriers is not only necessary for a positive patient experience, but for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Hopefully, in the near future, cultural competency trainings and courses will become commonplace and allow future medical professionals to establish a standard of cultural competence in an environment where it is needed the most, where health and life are of greatest importance.