Emerging Expertise: Cultural Competency in Healthcare
Introduction
As healthcare becomes increasingly globalized, cultural competency has emerged as an essential skill for healthcare professionals. Cultural competency involves understanding how cultural backgrounds, social contexts, and healthcare systems shape patients’ experiences and perspectives. Through my undergraduate experiences in Health Sciences, I have intentionally sought opportunities to engage with healthcare systems and students from different countries. These experiences have allowed me to explore how culture, policy, and social determinants influence health outcomes and healthcare delivery.
My work in international education, research, and coursework has helped me develop an emerging expertise in cultural competency in healthcare. The following artifacts highlight experiences that allowed me to engage directly with international healthcare systems, collaborate with students from other countries, and reflect on how cultural awareness strengthens healthcare practice. Together, these artifacts demonstrate how global engagement has shaped my preparation for a future career in medicine.
Artifact 1: Norway and Sweden Study Abroad Honors Contract
This artifact is an e-Portfolio that I developed as an honors contract for my study abroad program focused on healthcare systems in Norway and Sweden. The portfolio documents my learning throughout the program and includes reflections on site visits, historical context of Scandinavian healthcare systems, course assignments, and photographs capturing the experience.
Through this portfolio, I examined how Norway and Sweden structure their universal healthcare systems and prioritize accessibility, prevention, and social welfare. Engaging directly with healthcare institutions and learning about the cultural values that shape these systems helped me better understand how policy, culture, and social priorities influence healthcare delivery. Creating this portfolio allowed me to synthesize my academic learning with real-world observations while reflecting on how cultural perspectives impact patient care and health outcomes.
Artifact 2: Research Publication
This artifact is a publication highlighting a virtual exchange program that I helped facilitate between health sciences students at my university and students at a partner university in Germany. The publication emphasizes the value of virtual exchange programs in developing cultural competency among students preparing for careers in healthcare.
Through this project, I contributed to the collaborative discussions that allowed students from both countries to compare healthcare systems, public health challenges, and cultural perspectives on healthcare delivery. The publication explores how these interactions promote cross-cultural understanding, critical thinking, and global awareness among future healthcare professionals.
Artifact 3: Interview Project for HLSC-H 250: Health & Rehabilitation Systems Across the World
This artifact is a video project created for my course Health & Rehabilitation Systems Across the World. The assignment required students to interview someone from another country about their healthcare system and analyze similarities and differences compared to the United States.
While studying abroad in Costa Rica, I had the unique opportunity to conduct and film my interview in person with a Costa Rican resident. Through this conversation, I learned about Costa Rica’s healthcare structure, access to care, and cultural perspectives surrounding health and wellness. Hearing firsthand experiences provided a deeper understanding of how national policies and cultural values influence healthcare delivery. This project helped me recognize the importance of listening to individual perspectives when learning about healthcare systems in different cultural contexts.
Reflection
My experiences studying international healthcare systems and collaborating with students from other countries have strengthened my commitment to developing cultural competency as a future physician. Each artifact represents a different way of engaging with global perspectives. These experiences helped me gain a deeper understanding of other healthcare systems, as well as a unique perspective on broader healthcare issues. Understanding patients’ backgrounds, values, and healthcare experiences is essential for building trust and delivering effective care. As I prepare to begin medical school, I hope to continue expanding my global perspective and applying cultural awareness in clinical settings. Developing cultural competency is an ongoing process, and these experiences have provided an important foundation for approaching medicine with respect for diverse patient populations.