Program Overview

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Introduction to the Spanish for Healthcare Professionals Program

The Spanish for Healthcare Professionals program is designed for individuals with little or no formal training in Spanish. The goal of the program is to build students' effectiveness in communicating with Spanish-speaking clients in various healthcare settings.

Program Description

The program aims to improve the quality of care by enabling healthcare professionals to communicate directly with their clients in Spanish. This is achieved by teaching both general Spanish and Spanish medical terminology, allowing students to understand their Spanish-speaking clients and increase their cultural competence.

Target Audience

The program is designed for:

• Healthcare professionals who desire to become certified in Spanish for Healthcare.
• Healthcare professionals seeking career advancement in the translation and interpretation field.
• Medical professionals seeking to enrich their ability to communicate with non-Native speakers in a medical setting.

Program Structure

The program consists of three required courses, which should be completed sequentially:

1. Spanish for Healthcare Professionals: Cultural Competence - This course offers a vision of the effect of culture on health disparities, communication, belief system, educational strategies, language barriers, history of immigrants, and influence in their approach towards medical treatments.
2. Spanish for Healthcare Professionals I - This beginner-friendly Medical Spanish course will elevate patient interactions, helping healthcare professionals prevent miscommunication, provide more personalized care, and build stronger therapeutic relationships.
3. Spanish for Healthcare Professionals II - This course is appropriate for advanced beginner-level Spanish learners in the medical health profession who wish to increase their effectiveness in communicating with Spanish-speaking clients.
4. Spanish for Healthcare Professionals III - This course is appropriate for intermediate-level Spanish learners in the medical health profession who wish to increase their effectiveness in communicating with Spanish-speaking clients.

Program Benefits

• The opportunity to network with motivated adult learners who share your interests.
• UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies academic credit and optional BRN relicensure credit available.
• A specialized certificate in Spanish for Healthcare Professionals, which can lead to new professional opportunities in the bicultural and bilingual region.
• Expert instructors who are experienced in teaching adult language learners.
• Pre-planned curriculum and sequence of courses designed to keep you on track and increase your confidence, ease, and fluidity with the language.
• A relaxed, interactive, and supportive class atmosphere for maximum opportunity to practice, coupled with convenient evening classes that fit your busy professional schedule.

What You Will Learn

• Both general Spanish and Spanish medical terminology to understand Spanish-speaking clients/patients.
• How to increase your cultural competence to help you connect and build rapport with clients or patients, and have more insight into client-interpreter conversations.
• Build your effectiveness in communicating with Spanish-speaking clients in various healthcare settings.
• Increased cultural awareness and historical knowledge of the Spanish-speaking world.

Conditions for Admission

Applicants are encouraged to have some previous general healthcare knowledge. No prior Spanish language knowledge is necessary.

Certificate Guidelines

The Specialized Certificate in Spanish for Healthcare Professionals is issued upon completion of the total number of required credit units (9 quarter units).

Cost and Duration

• The approximate cost of the program is estimated at $1,175 (includes course fees and certificate enrollment fee), and is paid incrementally as students enroll in courses, rather than up front.
• Cost does not include textbooks or optional electives.
• The program duration is 12 months, with classes held live online, and the schedule varies by student and courses taken per quarter.

BRN Relicensure Credit

The Spanish for Healthcare Professionals 1-3 courses can be completed for 30 hours of BRN relicensure credit each. BRN board does not award partial credit. Students trying to earn BRN CEU credit cannot miss any class meetings and must sign in with their BRN license # during each class meeting.

Additional Information

• Questions about our classes or certificates? Contact our department.
• The transferability of credit is determined solely by the receiving institution.
• Students should discuss how your individual courses will transfer with the Office of the Registrar at the receiving institution prior to enrolling.

Advisory Board

The program's advisory board consists of experts in the field, including:

• Luz Chung, MA, Ed.D
• Grant Goodall, PhD
• Dr. Aimee Holdwick, DAOM, Lac
• Dr. Jorge Lazareff, MD.
• Luiza Zanchi

Related Programs

• Healthcare Revenue Cycle
• Medical Writing
• Science Communication

Conclusion

The Spanish for Healthcare Professionals program is designed to improve the quality of care by enabling healthcare professionals to communicate directly with their clients in Spanish. The program consists of three required courses, which should be completed sequentially, and offers a specialized certificate upon completion. The program is suitable for healthcare professionals who desire to become certified in Spanish for Healthcare, and it provides a range of benefits, including academic credit, relicensure credit, and increased cultural competence.