University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey

Case Study - Spring 2006

History and Context

Founded in 1970 to consolidate New Jersey's health professions education, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) has become the very core of the state's health sciences system. It is the largest freestanding health sciences institution in the nation. With eight schools, five campuses (Newark, Scotch Plains, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Stratford, and Camden), and a network of more than 200 affiliated healthcare and educational partners spanning the state, we touch the lives of almost every New Jerseyan daily.  Therefore, the University has the capacity to improve access to care, quality of care, and ultimately, health outcomes through excellence in broad-based programs covering every aspect of the health sciences. 

UMDNJ’s diversity work has roots in the Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) on each of its three main campuses: Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, and Camden. These offices are responsible for advancing the University’s diversity, affirmative action and equal opportunity, and diversity for faculty, staff, and students. In addition, affirmative action advisory councils on these campuses have the responsibility to report on the effectiveness of affirmative action on the campus and on the surrounding community.

In April 1999, the University Board of Trustees and President established a strategic intent to become The Pride of New Jersey Today, The Pride of the Nation Tomorrow. “Community Impact and Diversity” was one of the five goals that were delineated within this intent. This goal focused on increasing the racial and ethnic diversity representation in the institution and impacting the local communities economically, educationally, and in the provision of health care services.

Individual campuses had various diversity initiatives. The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJ) has a Center for Healthy Families and Cultural Diversity within the Department of Family Medicine on the New Brunswick/Piscataway campus.  RWJ continues to demonstrate its dedication to leadership, advocacy, and excellence in promoting culturally-responsive, quality health care for diverse populations. The Center provides education/training and technical assistance/consultation related to culturally and linguistically competent health care.  This Center, along with the University and community partners, organized and hosted three conferences from 1998-2000, on Culturally Competent Care.  Nearly 500 health care providers, consumers, and teachers from throughout the state attended these conferences. The University, through the School of Public Health, revealed its strong commitment to assuring equal treatment when it established The Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities on May 15, 2001.  The Institute supports research such as a study that examines the impact of a spiritual-based social support intervention on enhancing treatment-related outcomes for African-American women with breast cancer.

The School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) located in Stratford, launched PROJECT INTERACT:  A Predoctoral Training Program for Cultural and interdisciplinary Competency, which infused cultural and interdisciplinary training into the curriculum and increased cultural awareness.

On the Newark campus, The School of Nursing has affirmed its commitment to cultural competence by recruiting an experienced trans-cultural nurse who has begun the process of infusing cultural competence into the curriculum.  In addition, The School of Health Related Professions (SHRP) incorporates cultural competency into a number of programs through their student orientation, curriculum, clinical training, community service and/or overall program experiences.

Using the newly developed medical interpreter curriculum University Hospital launched an initiative to train all volunteer hospital personnel that serve as medical interpreters through the Center for Multicultural Healthcare Communications. The New Jersey Medical School (NJMS), through the Office of Special Programs and its Hispanic Center of Excellence, championed cultural competency education and training for medical students and faculty. 

On an organizational level, The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey embraced strategic initiatives geared towards enhancing its role in establishing a culturally and linguistically competent healthcare organization. Cultural and linguistic competency has been identified as a key component in the new strategic plan formally adopted by the Board of Trustees in June 2005.

Lastly, New Jersey became the first state in the nation to make cultural competency a condition of medical licensure and re-licensure through the signing of S144 legislation in March 2005. Consequently, physicians are required to take educational programs to keep them informed of the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to care for New Jersey’s diverse population. NJMS, participated with RWJMS and SOM in advocating for the Cultural Competency training bill passed by the New Jersey state legislature. 

Campus Diversity Initiative Model 2002-2006

With the increasing diversity of the state of New Jersey, UMDNJ found itself in the unique position of serving as a valuable resource to communities, students, staff, faculty, and administrators, and policy makers state-wide. To facilitate this effort, UMDNJ through support from The Bildner Family Foundation New Jersey Campus Diversity Initiative (NJCDI) developed a set of Cultural Competencies. These competencies emerged through a needs assessment to ascertain different perspectives on essential intercultural skills and an audit to document existing diversity initiatives and activities. After analysis of transcripts from focus groups and in-depth interviews, the NJCDI team produced a report of the needs assessment and audit findings. These results are currently being used to implement cultural and linguistic competencies at all levels at UMDNJ. 

The University would like to formally recognize the important contribution that the Bildner Project has made in underscoring the importance of cultural competency and its impact on the UMDNJ community, its patients, and the surrounding communities.

Accomplishments

The Bildner Project resulted in increased university wide commitment led by the senior leadership focusing on the importance of UMDNJ becoming a culturally competent institution.  Cultural and linguistic competency has been identified as a key component in the new strategic plan for 2006-2010. The strategic plan includes the following objective under the goal: ”Position UMDNJ as a leader in cultural competency education and practice.”  The strategies include: (a) Establish a Center for Cultural Competency and (b) Implement a cultural competency training program that addresses the needs of the array of professionals and trainees

The UMDNJ Cultural Competency website was launched in January 2005. The website has been transformed into a Virtual Cultural Competency Center located at <njms.umdnj.edu/culweb/index.htm>, which was launched on June 13, 2006.  It serves as a major resource on cultural competency for the UMDNJ community and the external community.

In addition, a repository of major cultural competency tools such as books and essential publications, films, and other resources on cultural competency for use in cultural competency curriculum development is being established on each of the UMDNJ Schools.

Both the School of Osteopathic Medicine and the New Jersey Medical School have launched a comprehensive curriculum with expected competencies.  They have referred to the Bildner focus group and interview conclusions during current revisions. Plans are also currently underway for Robert Wood Johnson Medical School to launch its new patient centered curriculum.

At the New Jersey Medical School cultural competency was infused into the curriculum through the new physician’s core two year sequence in the pre-clinical years.  First year students learn how to access appropriate resources for addressing the delivery of culturally and linguistically competent healthcare through large and small group sessions incorporating a video and/or panel. Training was provided for faculty who teach the physician’s core sessions. By spring 2006, 1032 medical students received cultural competency training through a formalized curriculum enhanced by members of the Bildner team.

A partnership was formed between the New Jersey Medical School (NJMS)-Hispanic Center of Excellence and the Bildner Project Team to establish a training module for faculty, student, and administrative cultural competency training throughout the University.  The faculty and administrative training programs have already been piloted and will be used as models for training throughout the University to reduce fragmentation and improve efficiency. 

The AA/EEO office has taken the lead in establishing training for management and non-management staff, based upon input from the Bildner Team.  A cultural competency training program was developed to increase staff understanding about cultural competency, its importance at UMDNJ and their role in creating culturally sensitive environments and providing culturally appropriate services.  The importance of cultural competency and diversity at UMDNJ is introduced to new employees, and residents during orientation programs.

In addition, we increased internal understanding of cultural competency by holding a faculty conference entitled:  Caring for New Jersey’s Multicultural Population: A Cultural Competency Summit, April 24, 2006 at New Jersey Hospital Association, Princeton, New Jersey. 

An ad-hoc Interpreter’s Committee was also established to identify mechanisms to increase the use of trained interpreters at UMDNJ health service units and to recognize and compensate trained volunteer employees who provide interpretation services.