University of Portland Bulletin 2024-2025

Medical Spanish

Lora Looney, Ph.D., international languages and cultures, director

Medical Spanish prepares future clinicians to work safely with patients in Spanish without the assistance of an interpreter.

Learning Outcomes for the Medical Spanish Minor

Students completing the medical Spanish minor will be able to:

  1. Communicate with accuracy, including when giving instructions, to Spanish-speaking patients when talking about the patients’ health and lives in a non-critical care environment.
  2. Demonstrate a working knowledge of Spanish vocabulary related to organ systems and disease.
  3. Articulate the relationship between health and social issues in Latino populations.

Students enrolled in the medical Spanish minor may pursue the optional summer continuing education course (SPN 901) in preparation for the National Medical Interpretation Exam.

Prerequisites: 12 lower-division credit hours in Spanish courses or equivalent.

Minor Requirements - 12 credit hours

Students select one of the following two options in consultation with the Spanish program.

Option 1

SPN 301Advanced Spanish: Art and Soc in Latin Am and Spain I

3

SPN 302Advanced Spanish: Art and Soc in Latin Am and Spain II

3

SPN 380Medical and Public Health Spanish

3

SPN 480Introduction to Medical Interpretation

3

Students may take SPN 301 and SPN 302 in any order.

Option 1 students majoring in Spanish fulfill the medical Spanish minor requirements by completing an additional advanced Spanish language course, selected in consultation with the program director.

Option 2

SPN 308Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers

3

SPN 380Medical and Public Health Spanish

3

SPN 480Introduction to Medical Interpretation

3

Advanced Spanish Language Course

3

Please consult with the program director to select the eligible Advanced Spanish Language course.