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| Dr. Edward Cho (EM FP) MedSpanish Lessons with Blanca |
What is the difference between our program and other medical Spanish schools? We are a custom shop! We tailor
the program around you and your teachable moments (typically one on one) rather than teaching in a classroom of 10-20 people.
And it is an excellent clinically based program which medical students, residents and other physicians and nurses can
use for credit at their institutions. We also teach non-clinical family members (general Spanish) and can provide interactive
training on-line.
The need for medical professionals in the United States to learn Spanish is clear,
but the way to go about it is not. A physician's or medical student's busy schedule means that time is very limited. General
or intensive Spanish courses within the United States
also rarely focus on the specific context needed for medicine, and are inefficient. We do offer on line, personalized web based education for those who can not leave home.
One solution
is a customized program in a Spanish-speaking country which focuses specifically on medical Spanish and cultural competence.
That is precisely what MedSpanish is. It is an intensive immersion program based in ideal locations throughout Latin America that gives the aspiring or current medical professional the maximum amount of Spanish
instruction in the least possible amount of time.
MedSpanish On-Line
For those who can
not join us in Latin America, we can teach interactively, entirely on line, around your schedule,
providing CME credit. We can get you ready before your rotation and to maintain and improve your skills after the rotation,
even with your favorite tutors from our program! We also provide Tutoring through
SpeakShop (www.Speakshop.com).
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| We now teach remotely, supporting our students wherever they are! |
Clinically
Based Medical Spanish Training
In order to develop
a real and meaningful ability to communicate with patients in Spanish, it is not enough limit study to the classroom. Even
if the subject matter is specifically related to the practice of medicine and role play situations are involved, it is not
authentic, and offers poor preparation for the moment when it becomes necessary in a real world situation. The best approach
is clinically based medical Spanish training.
At MedSpanish, that
is precisely what we do through our customized intensive language immersion programs. Founded by emergency medicine specialist
Dr. Haywood Hall, we have always been an organization dedicated to the practical application of Spanish knowledge, within
the context of health care. This is the only way to achieve our shared goal--the improvement of medical care for those who
speak Spanish, not only in the United States, but throughout Latin America. And it is the
best way to become culturally competent.
There are a limited
number of slots available for clinical rotations. The clinical rotations you participate in as part of your MedSpanish training
will depend in large part on your current status--whether it is student or licensed physician--as well as your specialty,
timeframe, and personal desires. There are several different settings in which the clinical rotations take place. These include
hospitals, health clinics, ambulances, and rural mobile health facilities. We are the only program that personalizes your
experience and builds it around your schedule.
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Our
goal is to help you communicate in Spanish in the four areas of communication: listening,
reading, writing and speaking. In our program, we consider all four areas, but
emphasize listening and speaking.
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| Chief Spanish instructor and Den Mother Lilia |
The
course involves an intensive Spanish learning program, designed, directed, and taught by Lilia Galeana and other qualified
teachers. Lilia is a certified bilingual teacher of Spanish as a second language, with more than 30 years of teaching experience.
She was a member of the original faculty of the distinguished institute CIDOC (Centro Intercultural de Documentacion) founded
by the scholar Ivan Illyich in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in the late 60's. She has also worked as an instructor at the University of Minnesota and as a private tutor in Mexico and
the United States.
The
lessons are two hours every day, five days a week, and utilize the renowned series of textbooks developed for the Foreign
Service of the U.S. State Department supplemented by other health care related materials. It is a total teaching tool used for decades by outstanding language schools throughout Latin
America. It is used to prepare diplomats, missionaries, business
people and students from all over the world for responsible positions throughout the region, and lets them enjoy the advantage
of expressing themselves in the beautiful Spanish language.
With these textbooks, and
Lilia´s expert ability to focus on your areas of need, you begin speaking Spanish immediately. Each lesson starts with a dialogue about common situations that you are likely to experience in the community
and in the health care setting. You learn the most common and useful expressions
for everyday conversation, as well as medical vocabulary.
Key
grammatical structures introduced in the dialogue are clearly explained in a separate section.
The lessons build on one another, as the material studied is used in later lessons as you learn new words, phrases,
and grammatical forms. This method helps you gradually increase your language
skills while reinforcing and perfecting previously learned material.
Clinical Students will spend 5-7 hours daily in various clinical setting in order to practice and
reinforce their Medical Spanish and to be exposed to health care in Mexico. This is TOTAL IMMERSION Medical Spanish! The rotators may also participate in directed chart reviews and the rotator will become
familiar with Mexican pharmaceuticals and interpretations of diagnostic tests in Spanish.
The program also teaches Folk Medicine, cooking
and various types of Latin Dancing, rounding out the already positive experience.
WE DO TEACH GENERAL SPANISH AS WELL!
| A great teaching environment! |
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| Students get very individualized instruction |
Option 1
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2 hours of personalized small group instruction/day
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5 hours of clinical time/day (hospital, clinic, ambulance and/or rural
mobile clinic). 7 Hours a day are required forMedical Students.
Please Note:There are a limited number of clinical "spaces" available
(based on specialty interest, baseline language ability, and appropriateness).
Option 2
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Up to 6 hours of Spanish language and culture lessons per day
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Limited or no clinical time
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For students who feel that they would benefit from more formal Spanish
instruction time, or do not qualify for direct clinical time
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Recommended for those who have one week to spend.
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Not available to Medical Students and Residents receiveing training credit.
Lessons beyond 2 hours a day cost an additional $15.00 per contact hour.
$20/ hour for a group of two, $22.50/hr for a group of 3, and $25.00/hr for a group of 4.
Option 3
MedSpanish "Boot Camp"
Those who are interested in option 1, but who score less than 25 % on our
placement exam are placed in Mobile Health units for 20-25 hours per week, while working more intensively on improving their
Spanish. When they exceed a score of 25 %, or it is otherwise determined or agreed that they may be placed the following week
in clinical settings where a better command of Spanish is needed: Emergency Department, hospital inpatient services, or outpatient
clinics as appropriate. The cost of additional lessons is the same as in option 2. Additional lessons are optional but highly
recommended.
NB. We try to effect the best possible placement for the participant. We
encourage participants to get a well rounded experience within the health care system. We also have to balance
the needs that the hospital would like to build longitudinal relationships. Unless there is a strong reason not to, be prepared
to move from an outpatient to an inpatient setting after two weeks, to further enhance your experience of the Mexican Health
care system.
All learning options
include:
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An introduction into the Mexican healthcare system
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Flexible scheduling-- families welcome!
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Weekend travel suggestions
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Restaurants, nightlife, art, and historical sites around San Miguel
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