Background. Dealing with diversity is one of the patient-centered communication aspects, while cultural competence is proposed as a strategy to deal with diversity and to tackle inequality in health among different population groups. Despite the fact that one of the core activities at community pharmacies is communication with patients, only few pharmacy education programs include education on cultural competences.
Purpose. This project aimed to develop and pilot a course on cultural competences for pharmacy students.
Methods. The content of the course was developed by the researchers from the Universities of Copenhagen and Vilnius. The framework of cultural competencies covering knowledge, awareness and ability was used as a theoretical basis. The course was piloted with pharmacy students at the University of Vilnius in May 2021. After the course, its content, structure and teaching methods were discussed with the participating students.
Findings. The 2-week blended learning course was developed. To address knowledge, the concepts related to migration, diversity, inequalities, vulnerability and their influence on health and health efforts were discussed. Separate classes were devoted to migrant and ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, disability, addiction, and sensitive clinical cases. To address awareness, awareness of own socio-cultural background, identity, context, implicit prejudices, tendency to stereotype and how this influences the interaction with other people were discussed in the class, where the students were also engaged into the exercise. To address ability to apply diversity competence in the interaction and communication, the students conducted an in depth interview with a person from ethnic or sexual minorities, with a disability or mental disease diagnosis. The teaching methods included lectures with real-life cases and discussions, self-study using pre-recorded videos, online courses and literature, and a field study conducting interviews. In total, 15 students participated. The students thought that they learned about the importance of being aware of and attentive to other peoples’ perspectives. The exercise visualizing own cultural background and work with cases were liked the most, while online lectures were evaluated as least beneficiary. To improve the course, the students suggested having more time for interviews, and more detailed instructions for self-study.
Conclusion. After some adjustments, the course on cultural competences will be implemented and further evaluated as an elective course for master level pharmacy students at the University of Vilnius. Addressing cultural competences in pharmacy education in a long run are expected to make communication in pharmacies more patient-centered.