This course will present evidence that cultural competence is a lifelong quest toward achieving positive outcomes for health service providers. It will also focus on specific cultures and various levels of sub-cultures within any given community and the impact or influence of those culturally driven behaviors and traditions upon community populations. Students will be exposed to methods to assist health professionals in ensuring that health decisions take into account individual understanding of the professional's knowledge and how this knowledge should be respectful of individual cultural preferences. The course is grounded in the understanding that cultural competency should not be viewed as an endpoint, but rather a lifelong pursuit of individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to strive for continuous improvement, by practicing cultural humility to effectively utilize assets and address the health needs of individual communities. Prereq or Coreq: Junior or senior standing. Dual-listing: PH 632.