Speaking the Language of Care: Introducing the New Medical Spanish Minor

Building on decades of relevant coursework, the Department of Spanish & Portuguese studies has a new minor in medical Spanish, offered for the first time in fall 2024. We are equipping Minnesota’s next generation of healthcare professionals with the language and experience to provide empathetic and culturally appropriate care to more members of our community.

Student Perspective: Jada Sandvall

Jada Sandvall is a second-year student pursuing dual majors in kinesiology and Spanish studies with minors in developmental psychology and medical Spanish.

What drew you to the medical Spanish minor? 

Coming into college, I already had my heart set on occupational therapy, but I also knew I wanted to continue developing my Spanish skills. Being able to take specialized Spanish courses tailored to my career path has been incredibly valuable. These classes have not only strengthened my language proficiency, but they've also helped me understand how to communicate more effectively with future clients in a healthcare setting.

Tell us about an assignment that you still think a lot about.

In SPAN 3505 - Health & Environmental Humanities through Latin American Literature, Art & Film, we read Antes que llegue la luz by Mayra Santos-Febres, a novel about a single mother taking care of her kids during Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. This was a fascinating novel and the projects that went along with it were extremely valuable to my learning.

Why do you think it’s important for healthcare providers to learn about other cultures?

Healthcare operates on such a global scale, and it’s crucial for us as a society to recognize the importance of understanding different cultures and how we can improve their engagement with healthcare. English speakers often have advantages when it comes to accessibility and comprehension of medical information, but I want to help bridge that gap for Spanish-speaking communities. My goal is to contribute to creating an environment where these communities receive the same level of healthcare support as English speakers. I think the medical Spanish minor is a great asset in this regard because it offers the opportunity to specialize in the medical field. It's a growing and vital area, and being able to communicate effectively in Spanish within healthcare is an essential skill.

How has studying Spanish influenced your thinking and helped prepare you for your career?

Studying Spanish has really brought everything together for me. It’s not just about language; it’s about critically thinking in Spanish and applying problem-solving skills in a new context. Diversity is becoming an increasingly important factor, both in America and globally. I believe that, at some point, the cultural gap we face today will be smaller than it is now. As a minority myself, I understand the feeling of being spoken over or not fully understood. That’s why engaging with diversity and striving to understand other cultures is so crucial. The U has not only opened my eyes to these issues, but it has also helped me realize that I’m not as small as I might think. I now feel confident that I can lead a team or contribute meaningfully to a diverse one.

Alumni Perspective: Ihsan M. Rizky

Ihsan M. Rizky graduated from the UMN in 2021 with a BA in human physiology and a minor in Spanish studies. He is now a second-year medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

How has your medical Spanish coursework helped prepare you for a career in healthcare?

Going into undergrad, I knew I wanted to do something in medicine. [The medical Spanish coursework is] a double whammy. It’s useful for my Spanish minor, but it’s also going to help me with my future career goals. Right now, I’m a second-year medical student and I volunteer at the psych clinic, and a lot of the patients speak Spanish. So I’ve been able to use the things I learned within the courses and apply them to real life to help my patients better.

What are some things you’ve gotten out of your medical Spanish coursework?

The classes really help you excel with the vocabulary, which I think is the most important thing, especially if you want to be a provider. We know the phrases but we learn the specific vocab here and go beyond the grammar, which helps to get a better understanding for the Latinx community in general. It’s about cultural understanding and understanding more about why [a member of] the Latinx community does a certain thing because it’s rooted in their culture.

In spring 2020, I took a Spanish in the Community class with Kathleen Ganley, volunteering at Green Central Elementary. That was the first time I was able to use my Spanish within the community with kids, which was a really cool and rewarding experience.

Who should consider this minor? What advice do you have for them?

Anyone who's interested in Spanish, anyone who's interested in being a global citizen, anyone who likes to travel or work with diverse communities and people.

If you're in healthcare, you’re bound to meet a lot of patients who speak Spanish. Nowadays, we use automated machines that translate and there’s someone on the line—but it’s not the same as having an in-person translator. With the Spanish I know now, I understand what the patients are saying and develop some rapport with them. Those little things matter.

You get out what you put in. Ask a lot of questions, be curious, and try to learn more—not only about the Spanish-speaking community, but about Minneapolis since they’re so entwined. It’s a lot of work, but I think it’s worth it. It’s unique.

Faculty Perspective: Carol Klee

Professor Carol Klee is the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Department of Spanish & Portuguese Studies.

Why is it important to offer medical Spanish as a minor?

We felt it was important for students to have the option of earning a medical Spanish minor that is officially certified on their transcripts. The minor formally recognizes their combined proficiency in Spanish and their understanding of medical humanities and Hispanic cultures in relation to healthcare. The curriculum explores narratives, cultural attitudes, and differences that shape healthcare experiences, and it includes a strong emphasis on ethical debates that are related to the intercultural relationship between the patient and medical practitioner. Through literary and cultural studies of the Spanish-speaking world, students gain a more grounded humanistic understanding of health and illness. Of course, the minor also supports continued development of their Spanish skills, which takes sustained effort over time.

How might minors like this one shape the future of healthcare and address cultural gaps? 

As [students] engage with the texts and films in the program, they gain a deeper understanding of the diversity within the Spanish-speaking world. [For example,] among the immigrant communities in the Twin Cities, we have many Ecuadorians, some of whom speak Kichwa, an Indigenous language. Their cultural perspectives differ from those of Spanish speakers from urban centers or other regions. The goal is to broaden students' awareness of Latin America’s cultural complexity, especially in the context of healthcare, so they can become more culturally competent healthcare practitioners in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Timeline

While the minor is new this year, its roots go back decades. Click through the gold boxes to learn about this history.