(12) Practical issues of using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) in health professional education

Objective : To measure and enhance intercultural competence among administrators, faculty, staff, and students, U.S. pharmacy schools could utilize the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). However, before using the IDI, it is crucial to examine its validity in health professional education. The objective of this review is to discuss the practical issues and implications of using the IDI in health professional education.

Methods: A literature search of Medline, Embase, and selected health professional education journal websites was conducted to identify published studies that employed the IDI in the context of health professional education.

Results: Ten studies were identified. It was found that none of them investigated the validity of the IDI in health professional education. While the IDI has been demonstrated to be valid in certain contexts, the validity has yet to be confirmed within the context of health professional education. Therefore, U.S. pharmacy schools must assess practical issues and implications before utilizing the IDI. These issues include the resources required to administer, analyze, and report IDI results, as well as the effectiveness of the IDI in improving intercultural competence.

Conclusions: U.S. pharmacy schools should exercise caution when considering the use of the IDI. It is essential to confirm the validity of the IDI in the context of health professional education and carefully evaluate its practical implications.