GCD3035: Culture, Identity & Precision Medicine

The ability to work effectively across areas of cultural difference is an essential component of quality healthcare. As we continue to work to reduce healthcare disparities and improve access to treatment to those who have traditionally been underserved, our ability as providers to navigate intercultural communication sensitively will only become more important. This course will explore issues of culture (broadly defined to include areas of identity such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability level, religion, and others) relevant to the practice of precision medicine. Precision medicine is the practice of using genomic information to predict risk, inform diagnosis, and plan treatment for medical issues ranging from diabetes to cancer to mental health conditions. Examples of the intersections of culture and precision medicine include assessing the research on which the recommendations are based for minority representation, incorporating religious beliefs and traditions into treatment or prevention recommendations, and identifying systemic barriers to access for underrepresented communities. Students will cultivate a better understanding of their own intersectional identity, build language to effectively address cultural differences in healthcare interactions, and identify key variables involved in the provision of culturally-engaged care in precision medicine. This course is open to all students interested in culturally-engaged practice in healthcare professions as the lessons we learn will translate to all allied health fields. The first section of the course will provide a brief background in genetics, precision medicine, and culturally-engaged practice needed to understand the course material. Our next focus will be understanding different areas of identity and the ways these dynamics intersect with precision medicine. The final section of the course will take a step back to explore the systems at play in precision medicine: the research that provides the foundation and the healthcare system where it is enacted.

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