Addressing health disparities in hispanic communities through an innovative team-based medical spanish program at the medical school level – a single-institution study

BACKGROUND: There are insufficient Spanish-speaking physicians to effectively serve a large and rapidly growing Spanish-speaking patient population. METHODS: A team-based hybrid medical Spanish program was designed and implemented at a single medical school in Southern California. This pilot program consisted of a weekly in-person portion where students reviewed Spanish vocabulary and grammar and practiced clinical encounters in teams through active role play. Students supplemented in-class learning with online coursework. Program success was measured through physician-evaluated clinical encounters with Spanish-speaking standardized patients, a 100-question multiple-choice exam, and pre- and post-program surveys. RESULTS: 97% of students in the program (n = 32) received a passing grade at program completion. Student surveys demonstrated enthusiasm and engagement in weekly sessions (95% overall attendance, 97% reported feeling either excited or ready to learn prior to class). In a post-program survey, 100% of students felt better suited and increased desire to treat Hispanic patients. Additionally, all students indicated an interest in the continued use of Spanish in both their schooling and future practice. In a follow-up survey after three months of clinical experience in their 3(rd) year of medical school, 100% of students reported that medical Spanish is "very beneficial" in patient care and that students with medical Spanish proficiency have advantages over non-speaking students when it comes to patient care opportunities. 100% felt that time spent learning medical Spanish during pre-clinical years was time well spent and that the medical Spanish program enhanced their care of Spanish-speaking students. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the pilot program show a significant increase in the ability of students to engage in clinical interaction in Spanish. The results of our study demonstrate a significant increase in the knowledge, clinical skills, and self-reported confidence of students to treat Hispanic patients. Furthermore, all students not only felt better equipped and more confident to treat Hispanic patients, but they also had an increased desire to do so moving forward in their careers. We conclude that an effective medical Spanish program can be executed simultaneously with a pre-clinical medical school curriculum. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-022-03151-x.