Medical Spanish Syllabus course

1. Basic Spanish Language Foundations

  • Pronunciation and accent rules

  • Greetings and polite expressions

  • Essential grammar (present tense, commands, questions)

  • Numbers, dates, and times

2. Medical Vocabulary by Specialty

  • General Anatomy & Body Parts (e.g., cabeza, brazo, corazón)

  • Common Symptoms & Conditions (e.g., dolor, fiebre, tos, mareo)

  • Medical Specialties & Professions (e.g., médico, enfermero, pediatra)

  • Medications & Treatments (e.g., pastilla, inyección, receta)

  • Emergency & Urgent Care Terms (e.g., herida, sangrado, fractura)

3. Patient Interaction & Communication

  • Taking Patient History (e.g., "¿Qué síntomas tiene?")

  • Asking About Pain & Symptoms (e.g., "¿Dónde le duele?")

  • Explaining Diagnoses & Procedures (e.g., "Necesita un análisis de sangre.")

  • Giving Instructions & Advice (e.g., "Tome este medicamento dos veces al día.")

4. Cultural Competency in Healthcare

  • Understanding cultural beliefs about health (e.g., curanderismo, folk remedies)

  • Addressing language barriers (use of interpreters, avoiding slang)

  • Building trust with Hispanic/Latino patients

  • Recognizing common health disparities in Spanish-speaking communities

5. Practical Scenarios & Role-Playing

  • Emergency Room Situations

  • Pediatric & Family Medicine Consultations

  • Pharmacy & Medication Instructions

  • Mental Health & Sensitive Topics

6. Legal & Ethical Considerations

  • Informed consent in Spanish (consentimiento informado)

  • Patient confidentiality & HIPAA considerations

  • Documenting in Spanish (when appropriate)

7. Resources & Tools

  • Reliable medical Spanish dictionaries & apps

  • Common phrases cheat sheets

  • Practice with case studies and real-life dialogues.