title: Integrating cultural competency throughout a first-year physician assistant curriculum steadily improves cultural awareness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study tracked student self-assessments of cultural awareness at regular intervals during the first year of a master's of science physician assistant (PA) program to test effectiveness of a cultural competency component in the curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students completed a cultural awareness survey at the beginning of the program and retook the survey at approximately 4-month intervals throughout the first year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regression analyses confirmed positive linear relationships between survey number and score on 31 of 31 items.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cultural awareness among PA students benefits from repeated exposures to lessons on cultural competency. Schools attempting to develop or expand cultural awareness among students should consider presenting material in multiple courses across terms.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Program, Department of Health and Human Movement Sciences, Carroll University, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA. bbeck@carrollu.edu
authors.forename: Barbra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Matthew H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Scheel
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Oliveira
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hopp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010823:Physician Assistants / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014922:Wisconsin