First, we must acknowledge that we all bring various cultural values wherever we go. For some these values are rooted in centuries old traditions and are not just difficult to abandon but doing so would mean losing one's own identity. For others, cultural values are easily malleable, morphing into immediate societal customs and mores. Third, inter-cultural value comparisons present a difficult challenge for a physician because deciding whether one's values trump another's requires an insight into the level of the individual's adherence to his or her own culture. To gauge this level should become an important skill mastered by clinicians.
Physicians ought to be sensitive to the cultural asynchrony present in their patient population.
Medical education also ought to reflect this heterogeneity by teaching students the variety of cultural differences and the individual value contents of various bioethical issues in various cultures. Our diversity is one America's strengths as it makes life here unique. To live harmoniously with others must require that we respect their histories, as we would expect the same in return. Perhaps in the future the ethnic face of America will grow more homogenous and with it so will ethical views on medicine and its practice, but until then physicians have an obligation to first know who they are treating and to do so with a kindness and respect reflective of being a thoughtful human being. Helman, Cecil G. Culture, Health and Illness 3rd ed.