"Windshield Tour" - A Journey Towards Cultural Competency

Purpose: Medical educators are directing greater attention to the promotion of cultural competency when prioritizing educational program goals. An innovative educational approach is described here in a community hospital where nearly one-third of its citizens fall below the poverty level. The intent was to provide a very personal, first-hand learning experience via witnessing living conditions of patients from poverty-stricken neighborhoods. Method: Hospital educators worked with the community organization FACED (Faith Access to Community Economic Development). This grassroots group developed an educational driving excursion— entitled the “Windshield Tour”—of the city hospital’s poorest areas. A knowledge/attitude questionnaire was administered as a pre- and post-test to 80 residents and medical students. Results: Significant changes were observed in participants’ understanding of personal/financial hardships faced by their patients, perceptions of availability of resources, understanding of issues related to health care benefits, and rankings of patient/physician characteristics deemed important. Conclusion: Hospital educators have met with FACED leaders to explore future collaborative projects that would increase exposure to the community for the residents and students.