Cross-Cultural Psychiatric Residency Training: The Oregon Experience

• Published in: Academic psychiatry 2008-07, Vol.32 (4), p.299-305
• Main Authors: Boehnlein, James K., Leung, Paul K., Kinzie, John David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allied Health Occupations Education; Clinical Experience; Collaboration; Community Psychiatry - education; Community-Institutional Relations; Cooperation; Core Curriculum; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cultural Awareness; Cultural Competency - education; Curriculum; Higher Education; Humans; Immigrants; Internship and Residency; Medical Education; Medical Students; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental Health; Mental Health Workers; Oregon; Original Article; Physician Patient Relationship; Psychiatry; Psychiatry - education
• ISSN: 1042-9670; 1545-7230
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ap.32.4.299

Objective The purpose of this article is to describe the goals and structure of cross-cultural psychiatric training at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). This training in core knowledge, skills, and attitudes of cultural psychiatry over the past three decades has included medical students, residents, and fellows, along with allied mental health personnel. The curriculum includes both didactic sessions devoted to core topics in the field and varied clinical experiences in community settings and the Intercultural Psychiatric Program under the supervision of experienced academic faculty. Methods The authors review the central elements of the training experiences and include a detailed description of the core clinical settings and experiences. Results At the conclusion of their clinical experiences, trainees have specialized cross-cultural psychiatric knowledge and skills, including treatment of refugees and immigrants, sociocultural variables that influence the assessment and treatment of a wide range of psychiatric conditions, and comfort with cultural dynamics that influence both the doctor/patient relationship and collaboration with a wide range of mental health professionals. Conclusion Because of rapid demographic changes in the U.S. population, providing cross-cultural training for students, residents, and fellows is an essential foundation for the education of the next generation of clinicians and health care leaders. OHSU has provided a long-term model for this training in a busy clinical and academic setting that places an emphasis on multi-disciplinary and multicultural collaboration.