Are we making a difference? What impact does cultural awareness curriculum have on student’s attitudes? Second results from a longitudinal study

Background: To improve the health status of Indigenous Australians all health professionals work in a culturally safe way. Many initiatives are occurring in Australia to teach compulsory cross cultural education to health professionals. However there is little evidence that any ofthese programs have a long term impact on their practice
Summary of work: Since 2012 Bond University Medical School has been conducting a significant cultural awareness program, that includes cultural immersion. To measure the impact of these activities on student’s attitudes and behaviours we undertake a 5 year longitudinal study using a validated cultural awareness and cultural competence scale survey.
Summary of results: Initial findings (n=280) have revealed positive shifts amongst first and third year undergraduate medical students. The most notable differences occurred within knowledge acquisition, retention and dissemination(items 18–20, p<0.001). Institutional and curricular influences also showed positive directions after the cultural immersion [4].
Discussion: These initial findings are very pleasing and indicate that the cultural awareness and cultural immersion program is having an impact.Conclusion: Cultural immersion has a great potential to elicit positive shifts in attitudinal and knowledge related aspects of cultural awareness in the early stages of amedical curricula.Take-home message: Cultural education and immersion can impact on attitudinal change and resulting medical practice. Sharing this information will assist others who are teaching into these programs.