"Windshield Tour" - A Journey Towards Cultural Competency.

Purpose: Medical educators are directing greater attention to the promotion of cultural competency when prioritizing educational program goals. An innovative educational approach is described here in a community hospital where nearly one-third of its citizens fall below the poverty level. The intent was to provide a very personal, first-hand learning experience via witnessing living conditions of patients from poverty-stricken neighborhoods.

Method: Hospital educators worked with the community organization FACED (Faith Access to Community Economic Development). This grassroots group developed an educational driving excursion - entitled the "Windshield Tour" - of the city hospital's poorest areas. A knowledge/attitude questionnaire was administered as a pre- and post-test to 80 residents and medical students.

Results: Significant changes were observed in participants' understanding of personal/financial hardships faced by their patients, perceptions of availability of resources, understanding of issues related to health care benefits, and rankings of patient/physician characteristics deemed important.

Conclusion: Hospital educators have met with FACED leaders to explore future collaborative projects that would increase exposure to the community for the residents and students.