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Rejecting the Status Quo: A Call to Action Using Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Health Professions Programs
Kimberly Varnado1, Shannon Richardson, Andrea Kessler
1Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, College of Saint Mary, 7000 Mercy Road, Omaha, NE 68106, USA. kvarnado@csm.edu.
Abstract:
Modern healthcare must reconcile its past and address the longstanding disparities becoming more prominent in the public consciousness. Shortcomings exist on personal and institutional levels, impacting the care people receive. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) made three recommendations to reduce health inequities: integrating research to identify and reduce disparities, promoting cross-cultural education throughout health, and healthcare workforce diversification. In the last 20 years, marginal changes have been made to address IOM's recommendations. Cultural responsiveness is essential in meeting these recommendations by changing who enrolls in healthcare education programs and the people responsible for their educational experience. Culturally responsive practices help dismantle the paradigm of traditional healthcare education by promoting a flexible mindset that actively seeks the strengths and assets of every individual. Furthermore, those practices capitalize on diversity by finding creative ways to connect with learners, granting them the freedom to show up as their authentic selves. Three calls to action are presented to support IOM's recommendations, including developing place-based community engagement programs, embracing holistic admissions processes, and using culturally responsive pedagogy in health professions programs to teach and socialize future healthcare providers. Creating an inclusive learning environment in health professions programs will help reduce healthcare inequities by developing future healthcare providers endowed with values and practices that offer optimal care to serve all patients.
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