Skip to main content

Be Culturally Aware as a Prospective Medical School Student

By U.S. News & World Report

At some point during medical school, residency or fellowship, you will encounter a patient, colleague, nurse or other health professional who belongs to a different race, ethnicity or faith. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the 15 most populated metropolitan areas in the U.S. include inhabitants who speak more than 100 languages at home. In 2014, 39.9 percent of the country’s population was classified as minority, defined as any race other than white.

Minority populations have greater health disparities when compared with the white population. Native Americans are 2.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes , for example, while Hispanic and Latina women are 30 percent more likely to have a stroke. African-Americans have the highest mortality rates from cancer of all races and ethnicities. Even when statistics are controlled for income, minorities still experience inferior health outcomes compared with white patients.

[Discover how to highlight diversity in a medical school application.]

Cultural competency is a method of improving the accessibility and effectiveness of health care services for people from ethnic or minority backgrounds. This skill is needed for a better understanding of the cultural context from which patients arrive in exam rooms and hospital beds.

Patients interact with the health care system from a variety of viewpoints and backgrounds. Preconceived thoughts originate from previous experiences. Perhaps a patient did not receive the highest quality of care, or was treated with disregard because of a language barrier or due to a cultural history of unfair treatment. Consequently, patients may not trust or may be skeptical of the health care professional in the exam room, and this directly affects care.

Patients may delay seeking care or may not adhere to medical treatment because they do not trust the medical community. Physicians, residents, fellows and students are sometimes all too quick to label a patient as being noncompliant when that patient does not do what health care professionals recommend.

[Be selective when pursuing medical school as a minority applicant.]

Cultural competency allows the clinician to design a treatment plan in the context of the patient’s life by engaging the patient to be a partner in the treatment plan.

The aim is to improve communication between patients and physicians, resulting in increased patient adherence to recommendations and satisfaction, as well as the elimination of health care disparities between minority groups and the white population.

Undergraduates can increase cultural competency through their experiences both inside and outside the classroom. A broad undergraduate curriculum includes classes in literature, communication and the arts. If you are not a liberal arts major, consider classes that increase your exposure to a variety of backgrounds and perspectives.

[Show compassion in your medical school application.]

While volunteering, pay attention to patients and fellow volunteers who may come from various backgrounds, and take advantage of the opportunity to learn through observation and engagement. If you speak a language other than English, investigate becoming a medical interpreter to experience the health care system from the perspective of a non-English speaker. If you seek complete immersion in a foreign culture, study abroad.

College classes and activities can form the foundation of cultural competency that will set the stage for more formal training in medical school. Cultural competency pays dividends not only to the individual and field of medicine but to society at large.

More from U.S. News

Shine on Secondary Medical School Application Essays

Nontraditional Students Can Be Attractive Medical School Applicants

A Glossary for Medical School Applicants

Be Culturally Aware as a Prospective Medical School Student originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote