scholarly journals Overcoming the language barrier: a novel curriculum for training medical students as volunteer medical interpreters

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik S Carlson ◽  
Tatiana M Barriga ◽  
Dale Lobo ◽  
Guadalupe Garcia ◽  
Dayana Sanchez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Code Of Ethics ◽  
The United States ◽  
Language Barrier ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Medical Interpreters ◽  
Interpreter Training

Abstract Background Over 41 million people in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language, of which 16 million have limited English proficiency (LEP). It is well-established that language barriers contribute to health disparities and that the use of ad-hoc interpretation by untrained family members results in substandard care. We developed a novel interpreter training program for medical students to serve as in-person interpreters at a charitable, resident continuity clinic so as to overcome the language barrier in the delivery of healthcare to LEP patients. Methods The Medical Student Interpreter Training Program (MSITP) consists of three steps. First, fluent Spanish-speaking students shadowed a licensed interpreter. Second, students took a standardized phone exam to demonstrate language proficiency. Finally, students completed a three-hour training on the methodology and ethics of interpreting conducted by the Department of Interpreter Services. Results Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess students’ familiarity with the Interpreter Code of Ethics and interpreter skills. Familiarity with the Interpreter Code of Ethics increased significantly with all students reporting feeling comfortable (47%) or very comfortable (53%) after training. The pre- and post-tests included free response questions, which were administered to assess competence in the methodology and ethics of interpreting. The cohort’s aggregate score increased by 35% after the training (Wilcoxon signed rank z-score = 2.53; p = .01). Conclusions Implementing the MSITP resulted in an increased number of trained, Spanish-speaking interpreters available to provide their services to LEP patients at an affiliated charitable clinic and throughout the university hospital. Unlike other program models which are time and resource-intensive, this program is replicable and easily managed by volunteers. The MSITP is an effective model for training students as medical interpreters to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare for LEP patients.

Preparing Emergency Personnel in Dialysis: A Just-in-Time Training Program for Additional Staffing During Disasters

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve B. Stoler ◽  
James R. Johnston ◽  
Judy A. Stevenson ◽  
Joe Suyama
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
The United States ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Entire Study ◽  
Emergency Personnel ◽  
Dialysis Facility

AbstractBackgroundThere are 341 000 patients in the United States who are dependent on routine dialysis for survival. Recent large-scale disasters have emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness, including supporting dialysis units, for people with chronic disease. Contingency plans for staffing are important for providing continuity of care for a technically challenging procedure such as dialysis. PReparing Emergency Personnel in Dialysis (PREP-D) is a just-in-time training program designed to train individuals having minimum familiarity with the basic steps of dialysis to support routine dialysis staff during a disaster.MethodsA 5-module educational program was developed through a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort. A pilot study testing the program was performed using 20 nontechnician dialysis facility employees and 20 clinical-year medical students as subjects.ResultsWhen comparing pretest and posttest scores, the entire study population showed a mean improvement of 28.9%, with dialysis facility employees and medical students showing improvements of 21.8% and 36.4%, respectively (P < .05 for all comparisons).ConclusionsPREP-D participants were able to demonstrate improved tests scores when taught in a just-in-time training format. The knowledge gained by using the PREP-D program during a staffing shortage may allow for continuity of care for critical services such as dialysis during a disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:272-277).

scholarly journals Educating Clinicians to Improve Telemedicine Access for Patients with Limited English Proficiency

Challenges ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Tiffany M. Shin ◽  
Pilar Ortega ◽  
Karol Hardin
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
English Proficiency ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
The United States ◽  
Patient Portals ◽  
Medical Interpreters ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
Electronic Health Information

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the rapid incorporation of telemedicine into healthcare systems, resulting in increased access challenges for patients in the United States with limited English proficiency (LEP). Non-English-language speakers face challenges with telemedicine that magnify pre-existing barriers to language-appropriate care, such as difficulty accessing professional medical interpreters and navigating both electronic health information and online patient portals. Improved medical education on telehealth would increase equitable care for linguistic minorities. Medical education targeting telehealth care delivery should include clinician instruction on working with interpreters in telehealth contexts, increasing patient access to telehealth resources, and addressing patients’ language needs for telemedicine.

scholarly journals A Multidisciplinary Approach: Teaching Medical Spanish to Medical Students Using Role-play

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khashayar Mozaffari ◽  
Rebecca Kolodner ◽  
Eric Chalif ◽  
Victor Valdivia Ruiz ◽  
Benjamin Blatt
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Minority Group ◽  
Role Play ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Intermediate Group

AbstractIntroductionThe Hispanic community is the most rapidly growing minority group in the United States, making up 18.1% of the population, with 40% reporting limited English proficiency. To address this need, many health sciences institutions have implemented medical Spanish courses to increase Spanish proficiency among future healthcare providers. Although interactive courses have shown efficacy in teaching field-related terminology, barriers to medical Spanish curriculum implementation persist. Our study investigated the benefit of role-play, an underutilized teaching modality, in a medical Spanish course.Methods19 second year medical students were recruited to participate. Based on their placement test performance, students were assigned to a beginner or intermediate group and met weekly for one-hour sessions over five consecutive weeks. Students assumed the roles of Spanish-speaking patient, English-speaking provider, and interpreter to practice various medical scenarios. Students completed pre- and post-course examinations to assess Spanish proficiency improvement. Statistical significance was determined using a p-value < 0.05.ResultsSeven students, all members of the intermediate group, completed the course. Attendance among this group was 77.4%. When comparing examination scores, there was statistically significant improvement in oral translation of phrases from Spanish to English (p-value= 0.03).DiscussionStatistically significant improvement in oral translation of phrases from Spanish to English was accomplished through a minimal time requirement of one hour per week utilizing role-play. Given the fact that limited time poses a barrier to implementing medical Spanish curricula, our findings highlight the potential benefit of this teaching methodology and call for further evaluation.

comparison of shared decision making in monolingual and bilingual health encounters

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-221
Author(s):  
Charlene Pope ◽  
Jason Roberson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
The United States ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Discursive Practices ◽  
Ethnolinguistic Identity ◽  
Medical Visits ◽  
Membership Categorization ◽  
Medical Interpreters

In the United States, Hispanics with limited English proficiency (LEP) experience disproportionate disparities in health services, a phenomenon that relates to communication and decision making. After a quality improvement review identified a disparity in obstetric services for Hispanic women with LEP, a pilot study discussed here explored how LEP and the presence of a medical interpreter affected shared decision making in comparisons of monolingual (English) and bilingual (English-Spanish) encounters with the same physician. A series of 16 prenatal encounters between physicians, patients, and medical interpreters were recorded. First, medical visits were recorded with eight Spanish-speaking mothers using a hospital interpreter to speak with their physician. The same physician was then recorded discussing a similar prenatal agenda with a primary language English-speaking patient. Discourse analysis was used to categorize discursive practices in social interaction. Both encounters were rated using the OPTION shared decision-making scale. Results portray how shared decision making shifts in second-language situations and the associated practices that distinguish monolingual and bilingual encounters. Examples of discursive practices suggest strategies that may mark ethnolinguistic identity and membership categorization indirectly during health encounters.

scholarly journals Enhancing Medical Student-Interpreter Collaboration in an Urban Free Clinic

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 593-597
Author(s):  
Alon Y. Mazori ◽  
Maxim I. Maron ◽  
Marika L. Osterbur ◽  
Daniel Santos ◽  
Virginia Folgado Marco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Real Patient ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Time Investment ◽  
Language Discordance ◽  
Medical Interpreters ◽  
Simple Sentences

Background and Objectives: Cultural barriers and patient-provider language discordance exert deleterious effects on patient care. One solution has been the integration of medical interpreters into the care of patients with limited English proficiency. While medical schools and residency programs have started developing training programs on how to work with medical interpreters, no similar endeavor has been reported by student-run free clinics. Methods: Over 1 year, 76 third-year medical students (MS3s) were enrolled in control and intervention groups, and evaluated by in-person interpreters during interpreted real-patient encounters. MS3s in the intervention group received a lesson- and reminder-based training program on how to work with in-person interpreters. Results: MS3s who received the intervention were more likely to ask the patient one question at a time (odds ratio [OR] 3.54, P=.0079), listen to the interpreter without unnecessary interruption (OR 3.30, P=.022), and speak in short, simple sentences with pauses for interpretation (OR 3.08, P=.017). Conclusions: Our lesson- and reminder-based training program on provider-interpreter collaboration can improve the performance of MS3s within a select skill set with minimal cost and time investment.

Special Considerations for Evaluation and Treatment of Spanish-Speaking Patients with Cleft Palate

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 41-49
Author(s):  
Ellen Moore
Keyword(s):  
Cleft Palate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Speech Language Pathology ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Appropriate Treatment ◽  
Oral Pressure ◽  
Language Pathology ◽  
History Of ◽  
Spanish Speaking Population

As the Spanish-speaking population in the United States continues to grow, there is increasing need for culturally competent and linguistically appropriate treatment across the field of speech-language pathology. This paper reviews information relevant to the evaluation and treatment of Spanish-speaking and Spanish-English bilingual children with a history of cleft palate. The phonetics and phonology of Spanish are reviewed and contrasted with English, with a focus on oral pressure consonants. Cultural factors and bilingualism are discussed briefly. Finally, practical strategies for evaluation and treatment are presented. Information is presented for monolingual and bilingual speech-language pathologists, both in the community and on cleft palate teams.

scholarly journals Medical Student Attitudes Toward Blood Donation in Times of Increased Need

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110110
Author(s):  
Rahima Khatun ◽  
Banan W. Otaibi ◽  
Anna Ssentongo ◽  
Joshua P. Hazelton ◽  
AmandaB. Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Blood Donation ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mass Casualty ◽  
Academic Institution ◽  
Donor Pool ◽  
Willingness To Donate

Background In situations of increased need, such as mass casualty incidents (MCIs) and COVID-19, donated blood products are in shortage across the United States. Medical students are a potential pool for blood donors. The aim of this study was to determine overall attitudes of medical students at a single academic institution toward blood donation during times of increased need. Methods Three anonymous REDCap surveys were administered to all medical students at a rural academic institution. Surveys 1 and 2 were administered preceding and after an institution-wide MCI drill, in September and November 2019, respectively. Survey 3 was administered following a student-organized COVID-19 blood drive in June 2020. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine if factors, ie, experience with MCI drills and emergency medical services (EMS) training, were associated with willingness to donate blood. Furthermore, barriers to donation among those not willing to donate were assessed. Results Overall response rate for MCI surveys (surveys 1 and 2) was 38% (mean age 25.2 years and 50% women). 91% (n = 210) of respondents were willing to donate blood. Previous participation in MCI drills and EMS training was not associated with higher willingness to donate blood. Response rate for survey 3 was 15.6% (59.4% women), and 30 (31.3%) respondents indicated they did not volunteer to donate blood during the COVID-19 drive. Most common reasons for not donating were “other,” medical concerns, and being out-of-town. Conclusions Majority of medical students are willing to donate blood during times of increased need and offer a possible solution to increase blood donor pool.

Are Future Doctors Prepared to Address Patients’ Nutritional Needs? Cooking and Nutritional Knowledge and Habits in Medical Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 155982762110181
Author(s):  
Sam Sugimoto ◽  
Drew Recker ◽  
Elizabeth E. Halvorson ◽  
Joseph A. Skelton
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Prior Knowledge ◽  
The United States ◽  
First Year ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Second Year ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Background. Many diseases are linked to lifestyle in the United States, yet physicians receive little training in nutrition. Medical students’ prior knowledge of nutrition and cooking is unknown. Objective. To determine incoming medical students’ prior nutrition knowledge, culinary skills, and nutrition habits. Methods. A dual-methods study of first-year medical students. Cross-sectional survey assessing prior knowledge, self-efficacy, and previous education of cooking and nutrition. Interviews of second-year medical students explored cooking and nutrition in greater depth. Results. A total of 142 first-year medical students participated; 16% had taken a nutrition course, with majority (66%) learning outside classroom settings. Students had a mean score of 87% on the Nutritional Knowledge Questionnaire versus comparison group (64.9%). Mean cooking and food skills score were lower than comparison scores. Overall, students did not meet guidelines for fiber, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. Interviews with second-year students revealed most learned to cook from their families; all believed it important for physicians to have this knowledge. Conclusions. Medical students were knowledgeable about nutrition, but typically self-taught. They were not as confident or skilled in cooking, and mostly learned from their family. They expressed interest in learning more about nutrition and cooking.

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