BEMIDJI -- Bemidji State University will offer its first-ever Spanish course for health care professionals during the spring 2021 semester.
The course, titled "Spanish for the Professions: Healthcare," is of special interest for students considering a career in a health field but is open to all students regardless of major, a release said.
Ana López-Aquilera, assistant professor of Spanish, said students will learn necessary medical vocabulary and grammar alongside cultural issues related to treating Spanish-speaking patients.
“This class aims to equip health care professionals with the language and intercultural skills needed to work successfully in an intercultural society like the U.S.,” López-Aquilera said in the release, “Public agencies often look to serve Spanish-speaking clients in their native language to guarantee full and equal access to medical services. To fulfill this task with the required quality standards it is necessary to have professional training.”
López-Aquilera also highlighted that knowing a second language can lead to expanded career opportunities and increase mobility in professional arenas. The course, scheduled to begin on Jan. 11, will be taught remotely by López-Aquilera in Spanish.
