title: "Windshield Tour" - A Journey Towards Cultural Competency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospital educators have met with FACED leaders to explore future collaborative projects that would increase exposure to the community for the residents and students.
authors.affiliation: a Hurley Medical Center, Flint, MI and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , East Lansing , MI.
authors.forename: D Kay
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: a Hurley Medical Center, Flint, MI and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , East Lansing , MI.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carravallah
authors.affiliation: a Hurley Medical Center, Flint, MI and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , East Lansing , MI.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamp
authors.affiliation: a Hurley Medical Center, Flint, MI and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , East Lansing , MI.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buterakos
authors.affiliation: a Hurley Medical Center, Flint, MI and Michigan State University College of Human Medicine , East Lansing , MI.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Motarjemi