Global Longitudinal Pathway: has medical education curriculum influenced medical students' skills and attitudes toward culturally diverse populations?
The Pathway represents a longitudinal program for medical students, consisting of both domestic and international experiences with poor populations. A previous study reported no significant attitudinal changes toward the medically indigent between Pathway and non-Pathway students. The purpose of this study was to investigate and differentiate the skills and attitudes of Pathway and non-Pathway students in working with culturally diverse populations by conducting quantitative and qualitative analyses. Selected items from a cultural assessment were analyzed using independent t-tests and a proportional analysis using approximation of the binomial distribution. In addition, a qualitative assessment of non-Pathway and Pathway students was conducted. A statistically significant difference was found at the end of Years 2, 3, and 4 regarding student confidence ratings, and qualitative results had similar findings.
Clear and distinct differences between the two studied groups were found indicating the root of this increased confidence may have developed due to exposure to the Pathway program.