Cross-cultural medical education a challenge for migrating physicians in the globalization era

In a globalized world health needs are a priority, and the need for cross- and inter-cultural health education subscribes to this priority. Cross-cultural-oriented medical education is a promising way to provide clinicians and public health professionals with complex interpersonal skills, which are a must for efficient healthcare providers worldwide, in a multicultural and multinational context. The drafting of a cross-cultural competence curriculum provides a comprehensive set of skill, competence and knowledge. In order to be included in this medical education curriculum, cross-cultural skills need to be assessed on qualification fields, focusing on migration vs. health disparities. Cross-cultural skill inclusion in education programs is dependent on the cultural level, the social absorption and use level, on the patient´s personal preferences. Their integration in the education curriculum must be supported by further thorough and comparative investigations.