An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking

Purpose: To use mini-ethnographies narrating patient illness to improve the cultural competence of the medical students. Methods: Between September 2013 and June 2015, all sixth-year medical students doing their internship at a medical center in eastern Taiwan were trained to write mini-ethnographie...

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Main Authors: Jyh-Gang Hsieh, Mutsu Hsu, Ying-Wei Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2016-09-01
Series:Medical Education Online
Subjects:
Online Access:http://med-ed-online.net/index.php/meo/article/view/32561/48851
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author Jyh-Gang Hsieh
Mutsu Hsu
Ying-Wei Wang
author_facet Jyh-Gang Hsieh
Mutsu Hsu
Ying-Wei Wang
author_sort Jyh-Gang Hsieh
collection DOAJ
description Purpose: To use mini-ethnographies narrating patient illness to improve the cultural competence of the medical students. Methods: Between September 2013 and June 2015, all sixth-year medical students doing their internship at a medical center in eastern Taiwan were trained to write mini-ethnographies for one of the patients in their care. The mini-ethnographies were analyzed by authors with focus on the various aspects of cultural sensitivity and a holistic care approach. Results: Ninety-one students handed in mini-ethnographies, of whom 56 were male (61.5%) and 35 were female (38.5%). From the mini-ethnographies, three core aspects were derived: 1) the explanatory models and perceptions of illness, 2) culture and health care, and 3) society, resources, and health care. Based on the qualities of each aspect, nine secondary nodes were classified: expectations and attitude about illness/treatment, perceptions about their own prognosis in particular, knowledge and feelings regarding illness, cause of illness, choice of treatment method (including traditional medical treatments), prejudice and discrimination, influences of traditional culture and language, social support and resources, and inequality in health care. Conclusions: Mini-ethnography is an effective teaching method that can help students to develop cultural competence. It also serves as an effective instrument to assess the cultural competence of medical students.
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spelling doaj.art-62e42fc152414747ac30d59fc307fd5a2022-12-22T00:43:27ZengTaylor & Francis GroupMedical Education Online1087-29812016-09-012101610.3402/meo.v21.3256132561An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history takingJyh-Gang Hsieh0Mutsu Hsu1Ying-Wei Wang2 Department of Family Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan Department of Human Development and Psychology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan Department of Family Medicine, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Hualien, TaiwanPurpose: To use mini-ethnographies narrating patient illness to improve the cultural competence of the medical students. Methods: Between September 2013 and June 2015, all sixth-year medical students doing their internship at a medical center in eastern Taiwan were trained to write mini-ethnographies for one of the patients in their care. The mini-ethnographies were analyzed by authors with focus on the various aspects of cultural sensitivity and a holistic care approach. Results: Ninety-one students handed in mini-ethnographies, of whom 56 were male (61.5%) and 35 were female (38.5%). From the mini-ethnographies, three core aspects were derived: 1) the explanatory models and perceptions of illness, 2) culture and health care, and 3) society, resources, and health care. Based on the qualities of each aspect, nine secondary nodes were classified: expectations and attitude about illness/treatment, perceptions about their own prognosis in particular, knowledge and feelings regarding illness, cause of illness, choice of treatment method (including traditional medical treatments), prejudice and discrimination, influences of traditional culture and language, social support and resources, and inequality in health care. Conclusions: Mini-ethnography is an effective teaching method that can help students to develop cultural competence. It also serves as an effective instrument to assess the cultural competence of medical students.http://med-ed-online.net/index.php/meo/article/view/32561/48851mini-ethnographycultural competenceholistic carenarratives
spellingShingle Jyh-Gang Hsieh
Mutsu Hsu
Ying-Wei Wang
An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
Medical Education Online
mini-ethnography
cultural competence
holistic care
narratives
title An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
title_full An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
title_fullStr An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
title_full_unstemmed An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
title_short An anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students – the application of mini-ethnography in medical history taking
title_sort anthropological approach to teach and evaluate cultural competence in medical students the application of mini ethnography in medical history taking
topic mini-ethnography
cultural competence
holistic care
narratives
url http://med-ed-online.net/index.php/meo/article/view/32561/48851
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