Culturally competent doctors start here: Investigating the impact of a cultural diversity course on Korean medical students

Abstract

Purpose: Cultural diversity (CD) plays a crucial role in healthcare, influencing patient outcomes and reducing health disparities. In regard to diversity, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principle is indispensable. This study examined the changes in understanding cultural diversity after a course was completed at a medical school in Korea. Methods: A quasiexperimental study was employed to investigate the change in student attitudes toward cultural diversity after completing the Cultural Diversity (CD) course. A total of 85 first-year medical students were selected as the study participants and were surveyed via a 14-question survey at two points: before the commencement of the course and after its completion. The data were analyzed quantitatively via paired sample t tests to observe changes over time. Results: The overall average scores for all the questions from all the students after completing the course were higher than those before the course. However, among the 14 questions, questions 2, 3, 4, and 9 showed statistically insignificant differences (p > 0.05). The overall average scores for all the questions from the students increased after they completed the course. However, for four specific questions—questions 2, 3, 4, and 9—the differences between the pre- and postcourse scores were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Additionally, the independent variables, including age, gender, religion, and income level, did not have a statistically significant relationship with the dependent variable, which is the change in scores from pretest to posttest. Conclusions: Students demonstrated positive changes after completing the course, indicating a need for further research to assess the effectiveness of this class.