Medical interpretation training as a recruitment and retention strategy to increase Hispanic representation into the health professions

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Oscar Beita, MD, MPH, College of Medicine - Office of Minority Affairs, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 245052, Tucson, AZ 85724-5052, 520-626-4149, obeita@email.arizona.edu and Tracy L. Carroll, PT, MPH, Department of Family and Community Medicine - College of Medicine, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 245052, Tucson, AZ 85724-5052.

Educational strategies to recruit and retain Hispanic college students into the health professions have often been insufficient (1,2). Based mostly on the premise that students need remedial courses, academic tutoring and test-taking skills (3-6), strategies ignore cultural and linguistic assets that can potentially change how students see themselves and what they believe to be attainable professional goals. The Conversantes Class is a service-learning course offered by The University of Arizona's College of Medicine (UA-COM) since 2004. A collaborative effort among the Office of Minority Affairs, the Department of Family and Community Medicine, and several community clinics, the course aims to empower Hispanic, bilingual undergraduate students to pursue careers in the health field while serving as both medical interpreters and Spanish language tutors. Students become familiar with medical interpretation techniques and medical terminology in English/Spanish through a combination of classroom-based lectures, readings, clinical case studies, and role-play exercises. Community service includes 1) assisting UA-COM instructors teaching Spanish to medical students through role playing; and 2) serving as interpreters for Spanish-speaking families at local clinics. Community service promotes the development of mentoring relationships with experienced medical providers and medical students. Students also become more familiar with the role and responsibilities of a variety of health professionals. The poster will describe course components, students' demographics, and results of pre-/post-class surveys on commitment to pursue a health career, application rates, familiarity with the role of different health professionals, development of mentoring relationships, and personal believes on the feasibility of becoming a health professional.

Learning Objectives: After reading this poster, the participant will be able to

List five traditional strategies to recruit and retain Hispanic undergraduate students into health professions.
Describe the differences between a needs-based vs. an assets-based “Conversantes” model of Hispanic student recruitment and retention.
Assess the results of the “Conversantes” class pilot-project evaluation.
Discuss the potential of adapting the “Conversantes” model as an effective cross-cultural tool to reach and retain students from other minority groups into the health professions.

Keywords: Service Learning, Hispanic

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Poster Session: Advancing Public Health Science for Education, Practice, and Research

The 134th Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 4-8, 2006) of APHA