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Exploring cross-cultural differences helpful by Cindy A. Abole Public Relations Pick any of today's hot medical topics and health experts will agree that the subject of cultural awareness ranks up there as an important watchword in medicine.   Physicians and specialists in any practice setting can expect to encounter patients who have different traditions, cultural values and language needs as it applies to their medical care. These differences play an important role in the type of care and treatment options available to these patients.               Understanding cultural competency in medicine requires that all medical practitioners work effectively with patients who are from different ethnic backgrounds.            To help bridge this gap of understanding, biocultural specialist and medical anthropologist Alondra Oubré recently explored and discussed these issues with MUSC students and faculty. Oubré conducted a workshop on applied cross-cultural aspects in medicine. She was invited by the Physician Assistant program at the College of Health Professions.          “To be an effective practitioner, there needs to be balance between clinician and patient,” said Oubré, Ph.D., who is a national speaker and consultant in cultural awareness. This balance exists based on knowledge and respect without the need to stereotype individuals.    The clinical-oriented workshop challenged participants to understand the role of cross-cultural values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors as it applies to health, disease, affliction and illness. Students were introduced to basic concepts of medical anthropology as it relates to transcultural health.           “It's important that the area of cultural competency be broken down and interpreted in a language that clinicians, physicians and other health providers can understand,” said Oubré. “What's important is that the information is gathered from many resources including research and current practices.”           More physicians and other healthcare professionals believe that the challenge of cultural awareness extends from communication concerns within a practitioner-patient relationship.           “The key to cultural competence is knowledge and training of people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and real-life patient encounters,” said Oubré. “Sponsoring a lecture like this helps to set the template for developing future training structures.”