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Treating and Precepting with RESPECT: A Relational Model Addressing Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Medical Training

  • Innovations in Education
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An Erratum to this article was published on 06 May 2010

Abstract

BACKGROUND

In 2000 a diverse group of clinicians/educators at an inner-city safety-net hospital identified relational skills to reduce disparities at the point of care.

DESCRIPTION

The resulting interviewing and precepting model helps build trust with patients as well as with learners. RESPECT adds attention to the relational dimension, addressing documented disparities in respect, empathy, power-sharing, and trust while incorporating prior cross-cultural models. Specific behavioral descriptions for each component make RESPECT a concrete, practical, integrated model for teaching patient care.

CONCLUSIONS

Precepting with RESPECT fosters a safe climate for residents to partner with faculty, address challenges with patients at risk, and improve outcomes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported in part by grants from the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center and by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Medical Foundation. We would also like to acknowledge the value to our work of Elaine Pinderhughes’ attention to power and race (Understanding Race, Empathy and Power 1989), the focus on patient and relationship-centered care by the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare (formerly AAPP), and the LEARN and ESFT models cited below. Aileen Richmond, MPH, provided valuable assistance with data collection, faculty interviews, and collation of themes. We also thank Beth Lown, MD, for kindly reviewing the manuscript.

Conflict of Interest

None disclosed.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 771 Albany Street, Dowling 5, Boston, MA, 02118, USA

    Carol Mostow LICSW

  2. Dorchester House Multi-Service Center, Dorchester, MA, USA

    Julie Crosson MD

  3. Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Sandra Gordon MD, Sheila Chapman MD, Leyda Delgado MD & Michele David MD, MPH, MBA

  4. Boston University Center for Excellence in Women’s Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Michele David MD, MPH, MBA

  5. Haitian Health Institute at Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Michele David MD, MPH, MBA

  6. Department of Medicine, Section of Geriatrics, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Eric Hardt MD

  7. Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Thea James MD

  8. Latino Clinic, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Leyda Delgado MD

  9. Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

    Julie Crosson MD, Sandra Gordon MD, Sheila Chapman MD, Eric Hardt MD, Leyda Delgado MD, Thea James MD & Michele David MD, MPH, MBA

  10. Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Peter Gonzalez MD

  11. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Peter Gonzalez MD

Authors
  1. Carol Mostow LICSW
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  2. Julie Crosson MD
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  3. Sandra Gordon MD
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  4. Sheila Chapman MD
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  5. Peter Gonzalez MD
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  6. Eric Hardt MD
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  7. Leyda Delgado MD
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  8. Thea James MD
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  9. Michele David MD, MPH, MBA
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carol Mostow LICSW.

Additional information

This article is dedicated with gratitude and respect in memory of Samuel Morse Putnam MD, MPH.

The RESPECT model was developed by members of the Diversity Curriculum Task Force in 2000 originally led by Carol Mostow, Peter Gonzalez, and Julie Crosson including Sandra Gordon, Sheila Chapman, Oranti Aladessamni, Thea James, Eric Hardt, Charles Brackett, and Sandhya Wahi. The model was further elaborated and implemented in the 2004-2005 faculty development project, which in addition to Mostow, Gordon and Crosson included Leyda Delgado, Michele David, Sondra Crosby, Danru Lee, and Sam Putnam.

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11606-010-1365-2

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Mostow, C., Crosson, J., Gordon, S. et al. Treating and Precepting with RESPECT: A Relational Model Addressing Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Medical Training. J GEN INTERN MED 25 (Suppl 2), 146–154 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-010-1274-4

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