Navigating linguistic barriers: a case for and against medical Spanish certification for medical students in border states

Abstract

Limited English proficiency poses a significant barrier to health care, particularly in US border states, exacerbated by a nationwide shortage of interpreters. This growing disparity in language-concordant care underscores the need for solutions like integrating Medical Spanish Certification (MSC) into medical school curricula, a topic of considerable debate. Various arguments exist for and against including MSC in medical education, especially considering the increasing Hispanic/Latino patient population. This paper aims to present a balanced perspective on officially including MSC in medical school curricula. After discussing the various arguments, the authors suggest a balanced approach that addresses the challenges while leveraging the potential benefits of MSC in medical education.

Keywords:

• Disparities
• Hispanic health
• language concordance
• limited English proficiency
• medical Spanish
• undergraduate medical education

Disclosure Statement

The authors report no funding or conflicts of interest.