by Natalia Kirychuk, Public Relations Writer
Starting fall 2017, Cedarville University will offer two programs to meet the growing need for Spanish-speaking healthcare professionals – a Spanish for healthcare personnel minor and a certificate in medical Spanish.
Students completing the Spanish for healthcare personnel minor can earn the certificate in medical Spanish by taking an additional elective, completing a clinical experience with Spanish-speaking patients and successfully completing a final Spanish proficiency exam.
Dr. Barbara Loach, senior professor of Spanish, recognized the need for the Spanish minor and certificate program after seeing her Spanish for Professionals class rosters over the years made up of at least half medical-related majors.
“The idea for this new program grew, in part, from my personal experience as an interpreter in medical settings and seeing the dynamic there with Spanish-speaking patients,” said Loach. “There is a need for language and cross-cultural training in medical fields.”
The minor includes Intermediate Spanish, History of Hispanics in the U.S., Advanced Medical Spanish and a Spanish clinical experience. To complete the requirements for the medical Spanish certificate, students may choose from electives including Spanish culture, translation or advanced grammar classes.
The Spanish clinical experience may be completed locally, on a mission trip or even through the University’s study abroad program in Valencia, Spain.
The new minor and certificate programs are primarily for students in athletic training or medical-related majors, Loach said, but students interested in careers as Spanish interpreters in medical settings would also benefit.
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 3,760 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 100 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and leading student satisfaction ratings. For more information about the University, visit www.cedarville.edu.