A comparison of educational interventions to enhance cultural competency in pharmacy students

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare three educational interventions to determine which will enhance cultural competency to the greatest extent in pharmacy students.  

Methods: Second year pharmacy students (108 total) were invited to take a pre-intervention  self-assessment survey measuring cultural encounters, awareness, knowledge, skills, desire, and empathy on a Likert scale. The class was then divided into three equal groups. Each group received the same content, but using one of the following teaching strategies: a simulated patient activity (SP), written case scenarios (CS), or a formal lecture (FL). The self-assessment survey was repeated following the intervention. Mean change in scores for each question was compared within and among all three groups.  

Results: A total of 84 students completed both the pre and post survey (28 SP, 30 CS, 26 FL). There were no differences in age, sex, or ethnicity between groups. Comparing pre and post responses within the SP group, there were significant changes in the cultural skills questions on modifying one’s approach (p=0.001) and asking offending questions (p=0.033) during cultural encounters, and also an increase in the desire to learn about different cultures (p=0.037). Within the CS group, there was a significant change in cultural awareness regarding mastery of cultural competency (p=0.041). Within the FL group, there were significant changes in the cultural skills questions on modifying one’s approach (p=0.001) and in the cultural empathy question about viewing the encounter from the patient’s perspective (p=0.032). Comparing between groups, the SP and FL groups improved significantly more than the CS group in response to the cultural skills question regarding modifying one’s approach (p=0.008).  

Conclusion: There were significant changes within each group indicating that certain ideologies and behaviors may be enhanced based on the activity received; however, a one-hour practicum may not be sufficient to enhance cultural competency.