Promoting Cultural Competence in Doctor of Physical Therapy Students

The purpose of this study was to provide an educational opportunity outside of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students' curriculum to increase their awareness and understanding of cultural competence. The study was conducted at a single institution on one campus of a large university in the southern United States. Subjects for this study were first-year DPT students (DPT1s) at the FLL campus. Forty students (n=40) participated in the pre-assessment. Utilizing the Zoom video platform, the planned intervention was a one-session live 90-minute educational opportunity focused on cultural competence and followed with a post-assessment. Thirty-two students (n=32) participated in the post-assessment. The outcome measure utilized for the pre and post assessment was the California Brief Multicultural Competence (CBMCS) scale. Percentiles ranks were calculated for the aggregate data of subscales Multicultural Knowledge, Awareness of Cultural Barriers ('Awareness Cultural'), Sensitivity and Responsiveness to Consumers ('Sensitivity Responsiveness'), Socio-Cultural Diversities, and Total Score. Group comparisons were con¬ducted using a Welch t-test for unequal variances. The percentile rank analysis indicated an improvement in the Multi-cultural Knowledge (p<0.035) and Awareness of Cultural Barriers (p<0.001) subscales post intervention. Although Sensitivity and Responsiveness to Consumers (p<0.155) and Socio-Cultural Diversities (p<0.058) were not statistically significant, the total score (p<0.010) did indicate improvement in overall multicultural competence. The knowledge acquired through the tele-intervention can assist students in the future to adapt and succeed for competent patient care. Findings indicate an overall increased cultural competence awareness and understanding.