The only culture other than ones divided by racial lines that will be addressed is the culture of medicine. As a result of medical training and medical practice, one becomes "acculturated" into the culture of biomedicine. Health care providers may be viewed as constituting a cultural group of their own. Given this perspective, any clinical encounter can be analyzed as an interaction between the "culture" of medicine and the "culture" of the patient. These two groups often have different perceptions, attitudes, knowledge, communication styles and approaches toward health-related issues (Pachter, 690). All health care providers need to remember this concept as many patients, even a patient from the same racial or cultural group as the provider, may feel intimidated because the provider comes from the culture of "medicine". When the term "cultural sensitivity" is applied to the culture of medicine, the barriers of communication will lessen and the encounters between patient and provider will be greatly improved.

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