Journal archive

Abstract: The paper describes the need to teach intercultural communication at higher education institutions. The global tendencies associated with blurring the borders between countries and more active international interaction determine the vector for the development of the higher education system. These tendencies influence the development of modern healthcare systems. The increased migration flows make medical specialists face new challenges such as provision of accessible high-quality medical care to various social and cultural population groups, application of the principles of social justice in solving clinical problems, and guarantee of efficient communication between the medical specialist and the patient in the culturally diverse environment. Thus, the modern medical school should meet the requirements of the time and train healthcare specialists in intercultural communication by developing their intercultural competence. The paper presents the experience of foreign researchers of implementation of intercultural communication courses for students. The courses are aimed at the development of cultural identity, intercultural perception, and awareness of intercultural differences and intercultural communication skills. The process of teaching medical students intercultural communication included the design and implementation of international educational projects, the method of storytelling, learning through service, intercultural peer learning, and more conventional teaching methods in the classroom and during self-study. All studies described in the given article show the positive impact of intercultural training on the development of intercultural competence in medical students. Therefore, the urgency of intercultural communication training in the system of medical education is obvious, as the understanding of intercultural processes in society by the healthcare specialist guarantees the provision of high-quality medical care.