Community voices: views on the training of future doctors in Birmingham, UK

The United Kingdom (UK) population is diverse with nearly 6% minority ethnic communities. Both patients and doctors experience difficulties when dealing with someone from a different ethnic group. Medical education has failed to keep pace with the changing needs of the diverse population. We report...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Patient education and counseling 2001-10, Vol.45 (1), p.43-50
Main Authors: Greenfield, S.M, Anderson, P, Gill, P.S, Loudon, R, Skelton, J, Ross, N, Parle, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude to Health - ethnology
Clinical Competence - standards
Community Participation
Cultural Characteristics
Curriculum - standards
Curriculum - trends
Diverse communities
Education, Medical, Graduate - standards
Education, Medical, Graduate - trends
England
Ethnic Groups - psychology
Female
Focus Groups
Forecasting
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Male
Medical education
Medical Staff - education
Minority Groups - psychology
Needs Assessment - organization & administration
Nursing
State Medicine
Teaching - standards
Teaching - trends
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Summary:The United Kingdom (UK) population is diverse with nearly 6% minority ethnic communities. Both patients and doctors experience difficulties when dealing with someone from a different ethnic group. Medical education has failed to keep pace with the changing needs of the diverse population. We report a project in which 12 established (religious/cultural and specific interest) community groups expressed their views on what future doctors should learn about serving diverse populations. Data were obtained by group discussion and through the media using a structured format. Fifteen themes emerged which were grouped under three broad themes: firstly, the identification by group members of their perception of the ‘differences’ in social and cultural beliefs and behaviours of their individual community; secondly, the identification of characteristics of a culturally sensitive doctor; and lastly, recommendations for changes in medical training. New teaching has been introduced to the medical curriculum that incorporates the themes raised by the communities and which reflects consciousness raising and communication issues.
ISSN:0738-3991
1873-5134
DOI:10.1016/S0738-3991(01)00142-2