Integrating Cultural Humility into Medical Education Using a Structured and Interactive Workshop

• Published in: Advances in medical education and practice Vol. 15; pp. 575 - 583
• Main Authors: Ogunyemi, Dotun, Thind, Birpartap S, Teixeira, Amir, Sams, Clarence M, Ojo, Matthias, Dinkins, Grace Anne E, Serseni, Dragos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Zealand Dove Medical Press Limited 01-01-2024; Dove; Dove Medical Press
• Subjects: Conferences, meetings and seminars; cultural humility; English as a second language; Ethnicity; Gender identity; intersectionality; Medical colleges; Medical personnel; Medical students; Original Research; patient experience; Social aspects; sociocultural identities; Training; Workshops (Educational programs); California; cultural humility; sociocultural identities; patient experience; intersectionality
• ISSN: 1179-7258; 1179-7258
• DOI: 10.2147/AMEP.S460970

Cultural humility is a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation, redressing power imbalances in patient-physician relationships and developing mutually trusting beneficial partnerships.
The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and efficacy of cultural humility training.
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.
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).
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.