title: A web-based cultural competency training for medical students: a randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objectives of this research were to compare a Web-based curriculum with a traditional lecture format on medical students' cultural competency attitudes using a standardized instrument and to examine the internal consistency of the standardized instrument.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2010, we randomized all 180 1st-year medical students into a Web-based (intervention group) or a lecture-based (control group) cultural competency training. The main outcome was the overall score on the Health Belief Attitudes Survey (1 = lowest, 6 = highest). We examined internal consistency with factor analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed in the overall median scores between the intervention (median 5.2; 25th percentile [Q1] 4.9, 75th percentile [Q3] 5.5) and the control groups (median 5.3, Q1 4.9, Q3 5.6) (P = 0.77). The internal consistency of the 2 main subcomponents was good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.83) to acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A Web-based and a lecture-based cultural competency training strategies were associated with equally high positive attitudes among 1st-year medical students. These findings warrant further evaluation of Web-based cultural competency educational interventions.
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama School of Medicine (RC), Birmingham, Alabama; Veterans Affairs Quality Scholars Program (CAE), Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama; Department of Medicine (CAE, FSM), University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama; Continuing Medical Education and Family Practice and Psychiatry (MM), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Medical Hispanic Center of Excellence (MM), San Antonio, Texas; and Division of Preventive Medicine (AS), UAB Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama. Dr. Carpenter is now resident in Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
authors.forename: Riley
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carpenter
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: F Stanford
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Massie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching