Why intercultural competence matters in health care

During one of my junior internships, I met a patient whose care challenged not so much my medical knowledge as my understanding of culture. Mr. L., a 20-year-old university student originally from China, presented to the clinic with complaints of low back pain. He firmly believed his back pain was caused by an “improper” posture. During our discussion aimed at clarifying this misconception, I encountered considerable resistance. After speaking with …

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