Others definitions focus on the health care delivery system or the individual health care provider. A few focus on health professions schools, and even fewer address undergraduate institutions and students in the education pipeline. No single definition of cultural competence is yet universally accepted, either in practice or in health professions education. Most have a common element, which requires the adjustment or recognition of one's own culture in order to understand the culture of a patient. Neither is there consensus about how best to provide the necessary knowledge, skills, experience, and attitudes to effectively serve diverse populations.
Some individuals even doubt the legitimacy of teaching cultural competence at all.
To advance the discussion of cultural competence and its meaning, the BHPr Division of Health Professions Diversity has compiled a representation of definitions of cultural competence. Cultural competence is the ability to deliver effective medical care to people from different cultures. It ensures an understanding, appreciation, and respect of cultural differences and similarities within, among and between groups. Cultural competency is a goal that a system, agency, program or individual continually aspires to achieve. Cultural competence is a set of academic and interpersonal skills that allow an individual to increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and similarities within, among and between groups.