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Morales R, Rodriguez L, Singh A, et al. National Survey of Medical Spanish Curriculum in U.S. Medical Schools. J Gen Intern Med. 2015;30(10):1434-9doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3.
Morales, R., Rodriguez, L., Singh, A., Stratta, E., Mendoza, L., Valerio, M. A., & Vela, M. (2015). National Survey of Medical Spanish Curriculum in U.S. Medical Schools. Journal of general internal medicine, 30(10), 1434-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3
Morales, Raymond, et al. "National Survey of Medical Spanish Curriculum in U.S. Medical Schools." Journal of general internal medicine vol. 30,10 (2015): 1434-9. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3
Morales R, Rodriguez L, Singh A, Stratta E, Mendoza L, Valerio MA, Vela M. National Survey of Medical Spanish Curriculum in U.S. Medical Schools. J Gen Intern Med. 2015 Oct;30(10):1434-9. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3. Epub 2015 Apr 11. PMID: 25862190; PMCID: PMC4579233.
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J Gen Intern Med. 2015 Oct;30(10):1434-9. doi: 10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3. Epub 2015 Apr 11.

National Survey of Medical Spanish Curriculum in U.S. Medical Schools.

Journal of general internal medicine

Raymond Morales, Lauren Rodriguez, Angad Singh, Erin Stratta, Lydia Mendoza, Melissa A Valerio, Monica Vela

Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Kaiser Permamente, Oakland, CA, USA.
  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA.
  3. Department of Family Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
  4. Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Martinez, CA, USA.
  5. University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
  6. Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , San Antonio Regional Campus, San Antonio, TX, USA.
  7. Department of Medicine, University Of Chicago Pritzker School Of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA. [email protected].
  8. Biological Sciences Learning Center, Suite 104, 924 East 57th St, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA. [email protected].

PMID: 25862190 PMCID: PMC4579233 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-015-3309-3

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) may be at risk for medical errors and worse health outcomes. Language concordance between patient and provider has been shown to improve health outcomes for Spanish-speaking patients. Nearly 40 % of Hispanics, a growing population in the United States, are categorized as having limited English proficiency. Many medical schools have incorporated a medical Spanish curriculum to prepare students for clinical encounters with LEP patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the current state of medical Spanish curricula at United States medical schools.

METHODS: The Latino Medical Student Association distributed an e-mail survey comprising 39 items to deans from each U.S. medical school from July 2012 through July 2014. This study was IRB-exempt.

RESULTS: Eighty-three percent (110/132) of the U.S. medical schools completed the survey. Sixty-six percent (73/110) of these schools reported offering a medical Spanish curriculum. In addition, of schools with no curriculum, 32 % (12/37) planned to incorporate the curriculum within the next two years. Most existing curricula were elective, not eligible for course credit, and taught by faculty or students. Teaching modalities included didactic instruction, role play, and immersion activities. Schools with the curriculum reported that the diverse patient populations in their respective service areas and/or student interest drove course development. Barriers to implementing the curriculum included lack of time in students' schedules, overly heterogeneous student language skill levels, and a lack of financial resources. Few schools reported the use of validated instruments to measure language proficiency after completion of the curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS: Growing LEP patient populations and medical student interest have driven the implementation of medical Spanish curricula at U.S. medical schools, and more schools have plans to incorporate this curriculum in the near future. Studies are needed to reveal best practices for developing and evaluating the curriculum.

Keywords: Disparities; Hispanic health; Limited English proficiency; Medical Spanish curriculum; Medical interpreters

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