Winner and Finalists Selected in the ASCO 2020 Cultural Competency Case Study Competition for Residents

Winner and Finalists Selected in the ASCO 2020 Cultural Competency Case Study Competition for Residents

The Cultural Competency Case Study Subcommittee of the ASCO Diversity and Cultural Competency Committee (DCCC) recently held a Cultural Competency Case Study Competition for Residents. The contest, held Aug. 1 through Nov. 1, 2020, was open to individuals currently participating in an optometric residency as of July 1, 2020, through any of ASCO’s 23 accredited schools and colleges. An initial competition, held in 2014, was followed by a second competition in 2015. The purpose of this third competition was to produce additional case studies for inclusion in an expanded version of the ASCO Case Studies in Cultural Competency, to be published in summer 2021. The current compilation is comprised of seven case studies; the goal was to enhance the collection by providing an even more diverse selection of cases focused on culturally-competent care (e.g., persons with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum, LGBTQIA+, religious groups, biracial and blended families, etc.).

In 2008, in order to better promote cultural competency at its colleges and universities, the ASCO board of directors approved the ASCO Guidelines for Culturally Competent Eye and Vision Care. Submitting residents were asked to review this important ASCO document prior to writing their case study. Entrants were asked to describe a single patient-based encounter in detail, in any aspect of clinical education, and how cultural competency played a role. Case studies received offered details regarding patient-centered attitudes exhibited; knowledge, skills and sensitivity demonstrated; the cultural background of the participants; and the cultural awareness/competency issue being highlighted. The studies also described how the situation was handled, what was done correctly and what possibly could have been done differently or better, and what was learned from the experience. 

The grand-prize winner awarded a $750 travel voucher award to Academy 2021 is Dr. Quan Dao. Dr. Dao is a University of California at Berkeley School of Optometry resident whose winning entry: When the Patient Puts You in Check: Navigating the Grey Area of Mental Illness in Health Care received top marks from the entire selection panel.

The following finalists will receive a complimentary resident registration to Academy 2021:

• Dr. Amanda Lallensack – Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University; Case Study: Behavioral Health, Access to Care, and the Native American Population
• Dr. Mary Stoll – Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University; Case Study: Cultural Competency Through Preferred Naming
• Dr. Samantha Krueger – Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry; Case Study: Providing Individualized Care: Treating Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Intellectual Disabilities
• Dr. Grace To – SUNY College of Optometry; Case Study: Dismantling Racially Embedded Barriers to Care for Glaucoma Patients in the Hispanic Community in the Bronx, New York

Judging the entries were Dr. Michael McGovern, SUNY; Dr. Ruth Shoge, PCO and DCCC chair; Dr. Keshia Elder, UABSO; and Dr. Nekima Williams, UIWRSO. The evaluators scored each submission independently using the same evaluator review form used in the previous competitions.

“The subcommittee for the Cultural Competency Case Study Competition was extremely pleased not only with the number of submissions but with the quality of the case studies,” said Dr. McGovern. “We believe this group of new case studies, which includes cases on caring for patients on the autism spectrum, transgender patients, and patients with mental illness, will be a tremendous addition as it will greatly expand the breadth of the current collection. 

"The case-study compilation is used in the curriculum of the majority of the schools and colleges of optometry. Our hope is that the collection will remain a living document that continues to grow. The sharing of information – including best practices as well as hard-learned lessons – is crucial for providers and students to continue to develop in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. It helps us to be better doctors, improves our relationships with our patients, and often results in improved clinical outcomes for the care we provide.”

For more information on ASCO-related cultural competency efforts, such as the guidelines, workshops, and compiled case studies, contact Ms. Carol Brubaker, liaison to the DCCC and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Special Interest Group at cbrubaker@opted.org.