For health care providers, understanding a patient's language and culture is essential in giving the best possible care for the person. With the growing U.S. Latino population, providing opportunities for health professions students to learn essential Spanish communication skills is an important part of their overall education.

The IHEC/AHEC Spanish Immersion Program, through the Summer Spanish Immersion Program and the Spanish Lunch Workshops, provides instruction in Spanish and cultural issues for current and future providers.

Summer Spanish Immersion Program

The Summer Spanish Immersion Program is a three week intense course, held in Chicago, for health professions students. The course provides Spanish language instruction, cultural awareness lectures or outings, clinical experience in community health centers located in Latino communities, and home-stays with Latino families.

In June of 2008, osteopathic medical students from Midwestern University were sponsored by a HRSA grant for Predoctoral Training in Family Medicine and participated in the three week Spanish Immersion Program.  This was be Midwestern University's 6th summer in sponsoring some of their students for this program.

If you would like more information, or you represent a university that would also like to sponsor your students for this program, please contact:

Dina Garcia, 312-996-8980, dgarcia@ihec.org

Spanish Lunch Workshops

This new program is designed to bring medical Spanish classes to busy health professions students on their campus, during their lunch hour.  During the hour, Spanish grammar and vocabulary are covered, as well as some cultural and community issues.

This new program was piloted with Midwestern University and sponsored under a HRSA grant for Predoctoral Training in Family Medicine.  If you would like more information, or you represent a university that would also like to sponsor these classes on your campus, please contact: 

Dina Garcia • 312-996-8980 •dgarcia@ihec.org