Introduction / Rationale: This capstone project highlights the shift from cultural competence to cultural humility. Cultural humility in occupational therapy (OT) practice highlights the importance of treating diverse clients and populations without bias.
Research on cultural humility curricula in occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs is limited, focusing mainly on training for practicing therapists or curricula in cultural competence. While some elements are adaptable, cultural humility still needs deeper integration into occupational therapy education.
Objectives: The objectives for this project are to enhance the integration of cultural humility and implicit bias within an occupational therapy program in order to increase students' cultural responsiveness in their level II fieldworks.
Methods / Approach: Data collection was conducted using a pre- and post-survey with a cohort of second year OTD students. The Institutional Review Board at the university determined further approval was not required for this project.
Results / Practice Implications: Pre-survey results reveal gaps in cultural sensitivity, particularly in communicating across language barriers. This highlights the importance of integrating cultural humility readiness into OT education to enhance application in clinical practice. The post-survey will assess whether the introduced learning materials strengthen students' abilities to navigate diverse cultures during fieldwork.
Conclusion / Contribution to the occupational therapy profession: This project integrates cultural humility into the OTD curriculum to foster inclusive practice and highlights the need for research on its long-term impact as students transition into fieldwork, ultimately promoting equity in occupational therapy.