A Systematic Review of Assessment Tools Measuring Cultural Competence Outcomes Relevant to Pharmacy Education

Objective. To identify and describe validated assessment tools that measure cultural competence and are relevant to pharmacy education. Methods. A systematic approach was used to identify quantitative cultural competence assessment tools relevant to pharmacy education. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using the OVID and EBSCO databases and a manual search of journals deemed likely to include tools relevant to pharmacy education. To be eligible for the review, the tools had to be developed using a study sample from the United States, have at least one peer-reviewed validated publication, be applicable to the pharmacy profession, and be published since 2010. Results. The systematic literature and manual search identified 27 tools. Twelve assessment tools met the criteria to be included in the summary and their relevancy to pharmacy education is discussed. Conclusion. A review of literature demonstrates that assessment tools vary widely and there is no one tool that can effectively assess all aspects of cultural competence in pharmacy students or the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. As cultural competence is a priority within the accreditation standards for pharmacy education, PharmD programs are encouraged to develop additional tools that measure observed performance.