The Certificate in Spanish for Medical Personnel is designed for healthcare professionals and students preparing for careers in the health sciences who wish to develop the linguistic and cultural competencies necessary to provide safe, effective, and culturally appropriate healthcare in Spanish. The program provides specialized training in medical terminology, clinical communication, and cultural competence, with emphasis on professional responsibility and compliance with language access standards in healthcare settings.

Through a combination of lecture, supervised practice, applied activities, and clinical simulations, the certificate strengthens healthcare professionals’ ability to deliver linguistically and culturally appropriate care, improve patient experience, and contribute to health equity. Healthcare professionals and future practitioners will learn to communicate effectively in Spanish within clinical environments, thereby reducing linguistic and cultural barriers that impact quality of care. The program fosters cultural competence, understanding of social and cultural factors that influence health behaviors, and the development of patient-centered communication strategies. 

This program is recommended for students with intermediate to advanced Spanish-speaking proficiency.   

Advisories on Recommended Preparation: SPAN V04 or SPAN V04S with a grade of C or better. Recommended for students with intermediate to advanced Spanish-speaking proficiency.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• Develop and use a personal glossary of basic and advanced medical terminology in English and Spanish.
• Read and analyze medical documents, identifying specialized terminology and its appropriate Spanish equivalent.
• Communicate basic and advanced medical information effectively in Spanish within different clinical contexts.
• Aurally comprehend and process medical information in Spanish during patient interactions.
• Apply cultural competence in communication with Spanish-speaking patients, recognizing cultural and linguistic factors that influence health behaviors and treatment adherence.
• Identify professional responsibilities and legal considerations related to language services in healthcare settings.
• Demonstrate cultural competency to connect and build rapport with patients from the Latinx community.