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Medical Spanish

Medical Spanish Terminology

by Tara Peris

Just about anyone who works in a medical center setting can expect to pick up some basic Spanish on the job. Indeed, from New York to Los Angeles and all points in between, the Latino population is growing at an unprecedented rate. This means that a growing number of Spanish speaking patients are entering the U.S. health care system and requiring medical assistance.

Communicating with Patients

To be sure, emergency rooms across the country are swamped with patients who do not speak English. Visiting in time of need, they seek help while away from home. However, foreign patients are not only entering the health care system for acute care during times of crisis; they are pursuing routine care as well. This means that family medicine, pediatrics, and internal medicine doctors are all encountering Spanish-speaking patients as never before.

In order to administer effective care, these physicians must learn at least some basic Spanish. Often enough, this comes on the job, as doctors gradually learn words for body parts and basic ailments. However, to be truly effective with diagnosis and treatment, most physicians need greater proficiency.

As a result, there are a growing number of medical Spanish courses being offered these days. From major medical schools to online training sites, it has never been easier to acquire basic Spanish for use in a hospital setting. It is a skill that will be used day in and day out over the lifelong course of a career, and one that is well worth pursuing.

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