Pathway: Latino Health (Language, Culture and Medicine)
As medical students and physicians we encounter many patients who share their stories with us. As we listen, we hear about the challenges and triumphs of life and health and gain insight into the socio/cultural contexts that shape their values. Dialogue in a shared language is an essential part of the equation.
To better understand the culture, language and healthcare needs of our Spanish speaking patients, medical students are completing the components needed to fulfill the Pathway in Latino Health offered through the Division of Medical Humanities. The Latino Pathway program provides medical students with an enriched learning experience over four years of the curriculum, and includes several components outlined below.
OBJECTIVES
- To provide a venue in which students can achieve sufficient language proficiency, to work productively in a health care setting, both locally and abroad.
- To create a stronger link between students at the University of Rochester and the local Latino community
- To provide opportunities for clinical electives locally and internationally in Spanish speaking countries.
REQUIREMENTS
The Latino Pathway is composed of three parts: language, culture and outreach. All three components must be fulfilled to satisfy the requirements of this Pathway. Although students enter medical school with varying levels of Spanish language proficiency, cultural competency must be attained. Therefore, students may place out of the language components in the first two courses, but will still be required to fulfill the learning objectives for the cultural and outreach components of the pathway. Students that attain an advanced placement with respect to Spanish language will supplement their pathway requirements through additional outreach or aiding in course instruction.
First and Second Year Latino Health Pathway Courses:
1. Jan – Mar (Year 1) Latino Culture, Language and Health I
2. April – May (Year 1) Latino Culture, Language and Health II
3. Aug – Oct (Year 2) Latino Culture, Language and Health III
*Level of proficiency to be determined by faculty during Fall semester of year one via informal written and/or oral exams
Beginner: One who has had little or no Spanish training, but is dedicated to learning the language and culture. These students will begin with the Medical Spanish for Beginners course during their first year.
Intermediate/Advanced: Students who are comfortable speaking some conversational Spanish but may not be completely fluent. These students will begin with the Latino Healthcare Part I course during their first year.
Fluent Spanish Speakers: Native speakers or students who can demonstrate complete fluency during the initial oral exam. These students will begin with the Latino Healthcare Part II course at the beginning of their second year.
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Sample Schedule for Beginners
1st Year:
Language and Culture:
Spring Semester:
Jan – Mar – Latino Culture, Language and Health I
April – May - Latino Culture, Language and Health II
Outreach Opportunities: 10 hrs (including summer) or go abroad during the summer after first year to a Spanish speaking country. Click here for local/international opportunities.
2nd Year:
Language and Culture:
Fall Semester: Aug – Sept - Latino Culture, Language and Health III
Outreach Opportunities: 10 hrs.
3rd and 4th Year:
Requirements: Students will have a choice between two tracks: academic track or clinical track.
Academic Track: four weeks of elective time in Spanish PLUS two weeks research in Latino Health Issues, culminating in a 10 – 20 page paper.
Clinical Track: six weeks total of Spanish immersion elective time
Elective time can be fulfilled either locally or internationally.
To assess language and cultural proficiency at the conclusion of the fourth year, the faculty advisor will conduct an oral exam for each student.
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Sample Schedule for Intermediate/Advanced Students
1st Year:
Language and Culture:
Spring Semester: April – May - Latino Culture, Language and Health II
Outreach Opportunities: 15 hrs (including summer) or go abroad during the summer after first year to a Spanish speaking country OR aid in the instruction of Medical Spanish for Beginners course in January of the first year. Click here for local/international opportunities.
2nd Year:
Language and Culture:
Fall Semester: Aug – Sept - Latino Culture, Language and Health III
Outreach Opportunities: 10 hrs.
3rd and 4th Year:
Requirements: Students will have a choice between two tracks: academic track or clinical track.
Academic Track: four weeks of elective time in Spanish PLUS two weeks research in Latino Health Issues, culminating in a 10 – 20 page paper.
Clinical Track: six weeks total of Spanish immersion elective time
Elective time can be fulfilled either locally or internationally.
To assess language and cultural proficiency at the conclusion of the curriculum, the faculty advisor will conduct an oral exam for each student.
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Local Electives Currently Offered
PSY/MED607 – Medicine in Psychiatry for SPMI and Latinos
MHU615 – Independent Creative/Research Humanities Project
LHP601 – Clinical Cardiology with Medical Spanish
LHP*** - Women and Children’s Health with Medical Spanish
LHP*** - Urban Family Medicine with Medical Spanish
*more to be added soon.
International Electives:
LHP*** - Community and Preventive Medicine in Costa Rica
LHP*** - Medicine in Buenos Aires, Argentina
LHP*** - Surgery in Rural Peru
FAM650 – Family Medicine in Rural Honduras
*or simply make your own elective.
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Summer Opportunities
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS--HSHPS 2007 Training Programs
Priority Application Deadline: January 15, 2007
Regular Application Deadline: February 15, 2007
For more information or to download an application , please visit the website at http://www.studentinternshipprogram.com or email programs@hshps.org
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FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact: Stephanie Brown Clark, Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Humanities, Director, Medical Humanities Seminars
or
Email Co-Course Coordinators:
Deepak Sobti MS1 (years 1 and 2 coordinator)
or Brooke Shuster MS4 (years 3 and 4 coordinator)
