摘要：
Medical education must pay attention to the impact of culture on health as our society becomes more diverse. Since patients are making greater use of modalities such as religion, integrative medicine and osteopathy, health care professionals need to be educated about these alternatives to traditional medicine. Medical education provides the opportunity to develop awareness and respect for the principles on which these modalities are based. This article reviews publications in these three areas, demonstrating their prevalence and their effects (current or future) on medical education. Rather than focusing on extensive curricula and instruction, the authors emphasize the need for “cultural competence” as competent communication—the willingness and ability of health care professionals to address these areas of their patients’ lives in the context of health care.
