A psychiatric curriculum directed to the care of the Hispanic patient

Hispanics are the second-largest ethnic minority group in the United States, numbering approximately 20.7 million. This population has distinct cultural and linguistic characteristics with which psychiatrists should be familiar, and psychiatric residents should be taught how to appropriately diagnose and treat Hispanic patients. This article describes a model curriculum for psychiatric residency training programs that addresses the sociodemographic, epidemiological, psychosocial, cultural, and behavioral characteristics of Hispanics. The authors strongly recommend that faculty who are knowledgeable and sensitive about Hispanic culture be available for the supervision and teaching of psychiatric residents during their training. Supervision should focus on key educational issues such as cultural formulation, family dynamics, and other factors of importance in clinical psychiatric practice. A bibliography of relevant works is also included.