The foundation of cross culture care is based in the attitudes central to professionalism- humility, empathy, curiosity, respect, sensitivity, and awareness about all outside influences on the patient. Over the course of the experimental-learning opportunity, students got a close look at how another country’s healthcare system manages similar challenges. Over the summer, an interdisciplinary group of nearly two dozen participated in a Dialogue of Civilisations program in Australia to learn about mental health and health psychology. Deb Franko, the program faculty adviser and professor in the Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology at Northeastern University program says the program opens students’ eyes to how things work in other parts of the world. Franko explained that experiences like these could help our future clinicians and healthcare leaders employ a more well-rounded and broader approach towards solving those challenges.
As a part of the dialogue, a dozen guest lecturers from Swinburne University in Melbourne met with students to discuss mental health issues such as forensic psychology and aboriginal health. The students also made 10 site visits, including trips to the Cancer Council of Victoria and an Aboriginal Health College on tribal land. Students characterised living for four and a half weeks in the midst of a different culture as an educational experience. Nicolas Braica, who is studying graphic design and interactive media, stated that it had put him in a new, really uncomfortable position and took a lot away from that. Franko noticed that this method has the potential for some less-recognisable mental health disorders like autism to go unidentified.
The cultural sensitivity/awareness approach incorporates educational exercises and techniques that promote self reflection, including understanding one’s own culture biases, tendencies to stereotype, and appreciation for diverse health values, beliefs, and behaviors. Examples include open conversations exploring the impact of racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, and other types of discrimination of health care. Any assessment should match the educational objectives and be carried out in a careful, stepwise fashion, controlling for all possibilities and focusing first on measures.
Gurbani Gandhi