This descriptive study explored multicultural issues in medical educat
ion which should be included in the curricula of both the undergraduat
e and residency programs of the Faculty of Medicine, The University of
Calgary. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 21 male and fema
le ethnic patients to determine their expectations of and experiences
with the health care they had received in Canada. Telephone interviews
were conducted with ten primary care physicians to determine their ex
periences of providing care to new immigrants from cultures other than
their own. Content analyses and comparison of the two sets of intervi
ew data revealed barriers to satisfaction, diagnosis and treatment. So
me barriers were perceived both by the physicians and the ethnic patie
nts, e.g. language, and attitudes towards medical technology and treat
ment. Others were perceived just by the physicians, e.g. patients' bel
ief in traditional practices. Still others were perceived just by the
ethnic patient, e.g. perceived racial discrimination. Based on the dat
a from the interviews, two simulated patients were developed and prese
nted to the students of medicine, both undergraduate and resident, to
teach them about multicultural health care. This study demonstrates ho
w local data about multicultural health issues can be used to develop
simulated patients for inclusion in the medical curriculum.