Mr. Wu is a 62-year-old male patient at the office in which Jenny is an administrative medical assistant. Mr. Wu has arrived and is checking in for his appointment

Discuss the importance of understanding and respecting cultural diversity within the medical office
What will be an ideal response?

ANSWER: It is important that Jenny understand cultural diversity. Different cultures view many things in different manners. For instance, many Western cultures place a large emphasis on eye contact. It may be considered rude when someone does not look at a person directly in the eye while speaking. But, Eastern countries may have a different perception of eye contact in which maintaining direct eye contact is a sign of disrespect. Jenny must take this into consideration when communicating with patients from other cultures. Jenny should be aware of both verbal and nonverbal cues. Jenny should take cues from Mr. Wu to determine what he is comfortable with. Above all, the professional medical assistant will treat single patients, regardless of their ethnicity, with dignity and respect.