Investigating preceptor experiences with cultural intelligence in pharmacy education

A culturally intelligent pharmacy workforce is critical for addressing health disparities and ensuring that healthcare teams are equipped to support the medication needs of patients. Despite the critical role of preceptors in developing aspiring pharmacists, little is known about how they create or manage cross-cultural situations for students.

The objective of this study was to explore preceptor experiences teaching cultural intelligence within experiential pharmacy settings.

A convergent parallel mixed methods approach was used with a 10-item survey measuring preceptor teaching self-efficacy (measured from 0-cannot do at all to 10-highly certain can do) and interviews/focus groups to further understand cultural intelligence teaching experiences. Data were analyzed according to the 4 domains of the cultural intelligence framework (i.e., cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural practice, and cultural desire). Survey data were analyzed descriptively and qualitative data were analyzed deductively.

Participants (n = 24) were most confident Discussing factors underlying health and healthcare disparities (e.g., access, socioeconomic status, environment, racial/ethnic) (7.54 ± 2.04) and least confident in Understanding the importance of cultural desire in teaching students to be culturally intelligent healthcare practitioners (5.21 ± 2.72). All four cultural intelligence domains were identified in the qualitative data (n = 315 codes), with preceptors providing evidence of cultural awareness (n = 38, 12.1%), cultural knowledge (n = 54, 17.1%), cultural practice (n = 183 codes, 58.1%), and cultural desire (n = 40, 12.7%). Preceptors described various pedagogical strategies, such as case discussions, reflection, and simulation.

Participants provided insight into pedagogical strategies for cultural intelligence that could promote student learning in experiential settings and help explicate curricular gaps. Further research regarding applicability of the cultural intelligence framework is needed, including application of these strategies and opportunities for preceptor development.