When I say… culture

‘Culture’ has been described as ‘one of the. . . most complicated words in the English language’. Chosen by Merriam-Webster as their ‘word of the year’ for 2014, it may also be a confusing concept. Whether complicated, confusing or both, ‘culture’ is increasingly used within medical education to denote differences or commonalities between health professions. Often articulated as ‘the culture of. . .’, one need only watch heads nod in agreement to suggest that ‘culture’ has now colonised our discourse without a second thought. However, as its use proliferates, a second thought may be necessary because, instead of realising its potential as a powerful analytical framework, ‘culture’ is in danger of becoming a vague referent signifying everything and nothing simultaneously.