Integrating Cultural Competence and Core Values: An International Service-Learning Model

Background and Purpose. Cultural competence is a criterion contained in many of the American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA) core documents. The globalization of society challenges physical therapist educators to design pedagogy that prepares students for rendering culturally competent care. The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative educational model grounded in the literature and designed to facilitate cultural competence and core values development in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree students. Method/Model Description and Evaluation. The innovative model consisted of a 2-semester capstone course designed to integrate culturally competent care with hands-on experience. Over 2 years, the course enabled 28 DPT students to prepare academically, learn the Spanish language, and participate in an international service- learning (ISL) experience. The cultural competence frameworks developed by Purnell and Campinha-Bacote informed the model. Academic preparation included research on the Ecuadorian culture, cultural awareness activities, reflective journaling, and completion of an evidenced-based practice report using the “Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes” format. The For His Children orphanage, located in Quito, Ecuador, served as the ISL site. Evaluation of the model was accomplished using the Professionalism in Physical Therapy Core Values (PPTCV) survey, the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory (CCAI), and reflective papers completed pre and post ISL. Outcomes. PPTCV scores were significantly higher post ISL (P < .05) for those students who completed the PPTCV process. CCAI scores revealed a higher score (P = .045) for emotional resilience post ISL for 14 students. Qualitative analysis of reflective papers resulted in 4 themes: professional role formation, career development, cultural readiness, and collaboration. Discussion and Conclusion. Our model enabled students to be immersed within a culture, realize the core values in action, develop cultural competence, and solidify their interest in working with pediatrics and internationally with underserved populations. Curricular models that provide meaningful connections between the classroom and the real world are important for cultural competence and core values development in DPT students. Culturally sensitive care is a prerequisite for decreasing disparity between patients and providers.