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Cross Cultural Simulation
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)
Type of Project: Didactic Education
Description of the Project: Cross Cultural Simulation. Interdisciplinary groups of students from nine programs across the MCPHS University Worcester-Manchester campus are assigned to one of two fictional, contrasting cultures: “alpha” and “beta.” Together, interprofessional student groups learn the customs and beliefs of their assigned fictitious cultures. As the simu- lation continues, small interprofessional student teams switch to the other fictitious culture to observe and engage. While students engage in the other culture, they are instructed to take notes of the contrasting culture and report back to their own initially assigned culture on what they observed. This happens multiple times. Finally, small groups are brought to the other fictitious culture and must try to assimilate into that culture.
The activity concludes with all students of both cultures participating in a large group dis- cussion. Students are asked to reflect on how their own values and biases may affect their perception of other cultures and the impact this may have on interprofessional collaborative patient care. This activity promotes cultural sensitivity and self-awareness, skills that are critical to providing optimal patient-centered care.
Why the Project was Selected: Faculty at MCPHS University in Worcester, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire initiated an Interprofessional Education (IPE) Working Group in 2012 with the goal of developing a longitudinal IPE curriculum for students from multiple health programs. The IPE Working Group members represent all nine heath care programs housed between the two campuses: acupuncture, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography, nursing, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies. Initially, the Cross Cultural Simulation was an activity in which only the School of Pharmacy participated. As IPE was implemented into many of the MCPHS health professions core requirements, the Cross Cultural Simulation was a focused way to meet IPE and cultural competencies for all programs.
Learning Objectives: Students work in interprofessional groups to navigate new cultures and better understand cultural competency and communication across various cultural barriers. The Cross Cultural Simulation allows students to explore the feelings, anxieties, misperceptions, and counter-productive attitudes of people who, by choice or circumstance, are required to interact with another culture.
Targeted Participants: Students enrolled in Optometry, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Dental Hygiene, Pharmacy, Physician Assistant Studies, and Nursing.
A total of approximately 600 students participate, 64 from Optometry.
Targeted Learning Level: Exposure / Introduction
Timeframe of the Project: Spring semester of the 1st year. The Cross Cultural Simulation is a
required component of the Optometric Theory and Methods II course.
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ASCO IPECP Toolkit
updated August 2022




















































































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