Medical Spanish Programs in the United States: A Critical Review of Published Studies and a Proposal of Best Practices

Abstract

Background: Despite an increasing demand for medical Spanish training, there has never been a comprehensive review of the methodology and outcomes of existing programs. Purpose: This article critically reviews studies published about medical Spanish education and proposes best practices for curriculum design and program research and evaluation. Methods: The authors reviewed articles published on medical Spanish programs in the United States from 1977 to 2012, then appraised them for the presence of five factors commonly used in second-language acquisition (SLA) research. Results: Only 2 of 23 published studies of programs met all 5 criteria. There was high variability in design and infrequent use of valid and reliable outcome measures. No consensus emerged as to best practices. Instead, reported outcomes were often inadequate surrogate markers for desired educational outcomes in interactions with Spanish speakers. Conclusions: There is a significant need for effective medical Spanish programs based on solid SLA principles and research methods.

Keywords:

• medical Spanish
• program evaluation
• curriculum development
• physician language proficiency
• language concordant healthcare

Acknowledgments

We thank Lauren Barron, MD, and Jackson Griggs, MD for their comments on earlier versions of this article.