Background If a physician does not understand the cultures, values, or perspectives that a patient brings, s/he is not able to communicate with or treat the patient empathetically. Due to population mobility and rapid social changes, Taiwanese society is becoming more multi-cultural than ever. It is of utmost importance for medical students to learn to respect cultural differences and develop their cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills in order to ensure good physician-patient relations. Purpose The research aims to first explore factors that influence the physician’s cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills based on a socio-cultural study on the Taiwanese society and then develop criteria for evaluating medical students’ cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills. The research also aims to develop and evaluate cross-cultural interpersonal communication skill medical education curriculum that meets the needs of our society. Method In the first year, study groups, interviews, forums, and Delphi studies are the research methods chosen to identify cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills that medical students need to possess. In the second year, cross-cultural interpersonal communications ABCs teaching method and OSCE are used to develop medical students’ cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills and OSCE is used to evaluate the teaching effect. Expected Outcome This research is significant because it helps medical students to be aware and appreciate the multicultural diversity among their patients and develop a competence to achieve cross-cultural interpersonal communications. The research expects to (1) establish criteria for evaluating medical students’ cross-cultural interpersonal communication skills, (2) develop a cross-cultural medical education curriculum that meets the needs of the Taiwanese society, and (3) help healthcare practitioners to become familiar with the application of OSCE in medical education and evaluation.
