Incorporating transcultural care education in allied health curricula

A clinical skill recently identified as a necessary curricular component in allied health programs is transculturally competent care. It is imperative to teach allied health students transcultural care skills, first, because the population of the United States is becoming more ethnically, culturally, and racially diverse, and the allied health workforce must be prepared for this change. Second, Western medicine has historically reflected European values and traditions. Because other cultures view health and disease differently, health care workers must understand and be respectful of values and traditions that differ from their own. And finally, organizations that accredit health care facilities and academic programs, and licensing boards, are recognizing cultural competency as an important clinical skill for all health care workers. Based on existing literature on transcultural care education, which primarily comes from nursing, this article suggests a model for its incorporation in allied health curricula.