Designing an instructor's manual for introducing cultural concepts in the medical school curriculum

Abstract

Medical educators recognize the need for including cultural insights into the training of future physicians. This instructor's manual suggests selected journal articles and guidelines for their use in each of the clinical courses to illustrate the relevance of culture, inter-and intraethnic differences, an attitude of cultural relativity, 2 and the importance of language use and communications skills for medical practice. The articles are found in journals typically available to medical students. This manual provides a baseline integrative approach applicable to other specialized training programs. A recommendation is made for evaluation and revision of history-taking interview forms to elicit additional culture-specific information. It is argued that an increase in physicians' cultural sensitivity and a decrease in medicocentrism will improve patient care.