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Medical Spanish

Latin American Medicine

by Tara Peris

Modern Latin American medicine relies on a cutting edge integration of science, research, and practice. Counter to the numerous portrayals of antiquated practices and arcane medical approaches, the field of Latin American health care has witnessed myriad innovative changes over the past decade. Indeed, it is leading the way as a valuable model for quality pan-American health care.

A New Perspective on Medical Care

To fully understand the scope of Latin American medicine, it is important to appreciate how the geographic location of Central America shapes its health care needs. As a portal between North and South America and a dynamic, complex region in its own right, Latin America is home to a remarkably diverse people. Moreover, because many of them move back and forth between neighboring countries, the demographic characteristics of the region can be remarkably fluid.

The result is that border health is an issue of perennial importance. As Latin America has navigated this challenge for decades, it has the potential to be a valuable role model for the United States. That is, as a growing number of Latino immigrants put down roots in the United States, existing models of pan-American medicine will be especially helpful for guiding health care accommodations.

Given the growing importance of pan-American perspectives and the ability of Latin American medicine to shed light on them, many medical schools are encouraging their students to seek training in international medicine. Classes in cultural competence, border health, and medical Spanish provide a valuable foundation from which to pursue further study. Moreover, they contribute to a well-rounded medical skill set that is bound to result in better patient care.

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