| The purpose of this study was to ascertain incoming medical students' baseline knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, and skills with regard to cross-cultural training and cultural competence, and how they rated the inclusion of certain topics as components of their medical education. Demographics, prior cultural competence courses or diversity training, and social desirability responses were also examined.;Cross-sectional data were collected from a convenience sample of matriculated medical students during orientation in August 2007 before exposure to the medical school curriculum. Two schools in New York City were surveyed using a new tool, the Pre-Medical Education Student Survey on Cross-Cultural Training Issues (Pre-MESS-CCTI), an adaptation of the Association of American Medical Colleges Tool for Assessing Cultural Competence Training (TACCT). Data were analyzed using frequencies, bivariate analyses, and stepwise backward regression analyses with SPSS software.;Cronbach alphas were calculated to measure the internal consistency of the new scales and results demonstrated fair to excellent internal consistency (range .627 to .953). Results of students' self-rated levels of knowledge yielded only fair ratings for all domains. Of the 284 respondents, 100 (35%) responded "yes" to prior courses in cultural competence. Medical students who reported higher classroom hours in cultural competence/diversity training before entering medical school also reported higher self-ratings in 4 out of the 5 domains. In addition, medical students who reported higher classroom hours in cultural competence/diversity training prior to medical school rated higher the valuing of including selected cultural competence domains into their medical training. The strongest predictors for higher self-rating of overall cultural competence were higher number of class hours in cultural competence, increased income, and although inversely related, U.S.-born. Classroom hours in cultural competence training and prior career before entering medical school, being older and female were the most frequent predictors for valuing the inclusion of selected domains in future training. Being White was a predictor for less valuing the inclusion of selected domains. These results may be useful for offering recommendations on how to develop and evaluate the cross-cultural medical education curriculum. |
