Overcoming the language barrier: a novel curriculum for training medical students as volunteer medical interpreters.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Over 41 million people in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language, of which 16 million have limited English proficiency (LEP). It is well-established that language barriers contribute to health disparities and that the use of ad-hoc interpretation by untrained family members results in substandard care. We developed a novel interpreter training program for medical students to serve as in-person interpreters at a charitable, resident continuity clinic so as to overcome the language barrier in the delivery of healthcare to LEP patients.

Methods

The Medical Student Interpreter Training Program (MSITP) consists of three steps. First, fluent Spanish-speaking students shadowed a licensed interpreter. Second, students took a standardized phone exam to d

SUBMITTER: Carlson ES 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8751325 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature