Cultural Competence

Cultural competence is the ability to interact respectfully and effectively with persons from a background different from one's own and to individualize care to patients with diverse values, beliefs, and behaviors to meet patients' social, cultural, and linguistic needs. Cultural competence goes beyond an awareness of or sensitivity to another culture to include the ability to use the necessary knowledge and skills to perform optimally as a global citizen in a pharmaceutical sciences career and provide optimal care to all patients

Cultural diversity includes differences based on, but not limited to:   

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender and gender identity
  • Health literacy
  • Race
  • Religious beliefs
  • Sexual orientation
  • Socioeconomic status

Instructional Goals

In view of the foregoing, the faculty of the College of Pharmacy have approved instructional goals in cultural competency for the undergraduate and professional programs: