Cultural Respect Encompassing Simulation Training (CREST)

Overcoming disadvantage of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients through culturally sensitive communication training for health professional students and practitioners


DrPhyllisLau

Health professionals are seeing an increasingly diverse range of patients including migrants and refugees. CALD migrant and ethnic minority groups have traditionally had poorer health outcomes than the Australian born population, in part due to factors such as language and cultural barriers. Yet, health professionals have limited opportunities for cultural sensitivity training.

CREST is a collaborative program between the University of Melbourne and Victoria University. It comprises five modules and uses culturally diverse simulated patients in face-to-face, real-time streaming and online platforms to deliver training relating to cultural sensitivity in communication to health professional practitioners and students. It addresses the dearth of authentic and culturally appropriate resources for communication training in healthcare education.

CREST was funded over 2012-2015 by Health Workforce Australia and the Department of Health and Human Services. Since 2016, CREST has embarked on the exciting path of becoming a self-funded entity.

Please contact Project Coordinator Ann-Maree Duncan
T: 03 83447196, E: ann-maree.duncan@unimelb.edu.au

or Phyllis Lau  
T: 8344 9042, E:  plau@unimelb.edu.au if you would like to know more.

More Information

Project Coordinator Ann-Maree Duncan

03 83447196