Conversantes is a service-learning course that provides bilingual Spanish-speaking premedical students with training and opportunities to volunteer as medical interpreters in health care facilities in Southern Arizona. The course is a collaborative effort among the Department of Family and Community Medicine, the College of Medicine – Tucson, and local clinics and hospitals. This class is a 3-credit unit with a letter grade for U of A students.

In the Classroom

Students learn about common medical complaints such as chest or abdominal pain and practice medical interpretation techniques through a combination of lectures, role-plays, case studies and presentations.

In the Community

Students volunteer two to three hours per week as Spanish interpreters in local health care facilities, including Clínica Amistad, the Mobile Health Clinic, and the Shubitz Clinic and Women's Clinic, which are part of the Committed to Underserved People program at the College of Medicine – Tucson.

Who should apply?

• Bilingual Spanish-speaking undergraduate students attending the University of Arizona
• College students interested in pursuing a health profession and available to volunteer as Spanish interpreter (two to three hours per week)

How can I apply?

All application materials must be submitted online by 5 p.m. on October 15 for the Spring semester and April 15 for Fall semester applicants. The deadline is the next business day if this date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or U of A holiday. If you are accepted to the course, you will get an admission notification within two weeks after the deadline.

Classes are on Tuesdays from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the College of Medicine – Tucson.

Apply

This online, asynchronous course is designed to equip U of A Health Sciences students with the essential language skills needed to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking patients in a health care setting. Through immersive language practice, role-playing and case-based scenarios, students develop the ability to take patient histories, construct follow-up questions, conduct case presentations and provide patient education in Spanish.

The 3-credit course also addresses best practices for building rapport with patients. By the end of the course, students are able to use professional and language-appropriate communication, accurately interpret patient information, and apply Medical Spanish competencies to enhance health care delivery. 

Course Prerequisites or Co-requisites

1. U of A student – undergraduate or graduate students interested or currently enrolled in a health career field.
2. Spanish proficiency – intermediate high to advanced level. (Intermediate high speakers can converse with ease and confidence when dealing with routine tasks and social situations at the intermediate level. They can successfully handle uncomplicated tasks and social situations requiring an exchange of basic information related to their work, school, recreation, particular interests, and areas of competence. [ACTFL guidelines])

Course Format and Teaching Methods

Course Modality – Asynchronous online and synchronous virtual interactions among all the participants in the course. Course materials are available online 24/7 on D2L. Students will volunteer in local clinics (25 hours). 

Course Objectives

• Master patient communication in Spanish.
• Comprehend patient histories in Spanish.
• Construct follow-up questions and responses.
• Conduct case presentations and patient education.
• Create rapport with Spanish-speaking patients.
• Understand cultural humility and health disparities.

Expected Learning Outcomes – Undergraduate Students

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Use professional language with patients and community members while providing culturally and linguistically appropriate care.
2. Utilize the skills applied during the case scenarios related to vocabulary and pronunciation.
3. Apply Medical Spanish competencies to effectively communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and families and improve health care delivery.

Expected Learning Outcomes – Graduate Students

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Apply knowledge of key concepts in cultural humility when working with patients and the Hispanic/Latinx community.
2. Develop the skills to establish rapport with patients and community members using practical medical Spanish

The purpose of MED 493A, Pre-Health Experiential Learning, is to prepare you for the next step in your education as a health care professional. Preparation includes a clinical shadowing experience, reflective learning, hands-on learning, and special workshop and seminar topics.

In the clinical shadowing component, you will be placed in a clinical setting where you will learn by observing. Working with the clinician(s) you shadow, you will learn how clinicians diagnose and treat, clinical communication, professionalism, and the humanistic aspects of medicine. You may discover a particular specialty is –or is not – something you wish to investigate further. In this shadowing experience, you will encounter firsthand what patient-centered care looks like.

Based on these observations, you will complete reflective writing assignments and class discussions using the three unit topical lenses: clinical learning, social issues in medicine, and looking ahead: practical steps for the future. The weekly class discussions that all students participate in range from clinical expertise to social factors that impact health and health care while incorporating what they are observing in their shadowing experiences.  Students who successfully complete all assignments earn 3 units of Superior/Pass/Fail credit.

Clinical shadowing takes place at various locations across Tucson, and days and times are subject to the mentors’ and students’ respective schedules.

Plan for at least one course that can be dropped or retained depending on the course admissions decision for MED 493A, Pre-Health Experiential Learning. Please ensure that you will not have any class schedule conflicts in the event of acceptance into the course. If accepted into MED 493A, Pre-Health Experiential Learning, the course will be added to your schedule by the Office of Student Engagement and Career Advancement through a manual registration process.

Classes are held Tuesdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Health Sciences Innovation Building.

Course Requirements

• Classroom Component: Weekly class meetings include speakers, presentations and classroom discussions on assigned materials. Attendance is mandatory.
• Clinical Component: Student will spend approximately four hours per week shadowing clinicians at health care facilities. Students will shadow the clinicians they are matched with for a minimum of 40 hours over the course of the semester.

To Apply

This course is open only University of Arizona undergraduate students. This class is geared to meet the needs of students who do not have extensive shadowing experience and are looking for guidance on the next steps in their future health care career.

Questions

For more information, contact Dr. Eliza Yellow Bird at eyellowbirdj@arizona.edu 

The Pre-Medical Admissions Pathway, or P-MAP, program is an intensive medical school preparation program designed for students who have experienced challenges in preparing to become competitive medical school applicants. The program includes a Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, professional and clinical development, and success seminars.  Those who successfully complete the program requirements will receive conditional admission to the U of A College of Medicine – Tucson.

For more information, visit the P-MAP webpage.

The Pathway Scholars Program is for Arizona residents who want to pursue a career in medicine at the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix. The program is designed for students who have experienced challenges in preparing to become competitive medical school applicants. 

For more information, visit the Pathway Scholars webpage.