The Tensegrity Curriculum: A Comprehensive Curricular Structure Supporting Cultural Humility in Undergraduate Medical Education

• Published in: Advances in medical education and practice Vol. 15; pp. 381 - 392
• Main Authors: Jones, Anne C, Bertsch, Kristin N, Williams, Deborah, Channell, Millicent King
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2024; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: bias; College students; cultural competency; Curricula; Discrimination; diversity; Education; equity; health equity; implicit; inclusion; Medical colleges; Medical personnel; osteopathic medicine; social determinants of health; Training; New Jersey; implicit; inclusion; diversity; social determinants of health; bias; cultural competency; health equity; Osteopathic medicine; equity
• ISSN: 1179-7258; 1179-7258
• DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S442569

Due to growing health disparities in underserved communities, a comprehensive approach is needed to train physicians to work effectively with patients who have cultures and belief systems different from their own. To address these complex healthcare inequities, Rowan-Virtua SOM implemented a new curriculum, The Tensegrity Curriculum, designed to expand beyond just teaching skills of cultural competence to include trainees' exploration of cultural humility. The hypothesis is that this component of the curriculum will mitigate health inequity by training physicians to recognize and interrupt the bias within themselves and within systems. Early outcomes of this curricular renewal process reveal increased student satisfaction as measured by course evaluations. Ongoing course assessments examine deeper understanding of the concepts of implicit bias, social determinants of health, systemic discrimination and oppression as measured by performance on graded course content, and greater commitment to continual self-evaluation and critique throughout their careers as measured by course feedback. Structured research is needed to understand the relationship between this longitudinal and integrated curricular design, and retainment or enhancement of empathy during medical training, along with its impact on health disparities and community-based outcomes.