Kalamazoo Valley to Offer Spanish Class for Medical Professionals

A "Spanish for the Medical Professional" course is being offered at Kalamazoo Valley Community College beginning in May. The course runs from June 5 to July 19 on Monday and Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m.

Spanish for the Medical Professional addresses the needs of healthcare professionals with little or no background in the Spanish language. Students develop communicative proficiency in the use of the Spanish language in medical settings with Spanish-speaking patients. The goal of Spanish for the Medical Professional is to make it possible for students to communicate in Spanish with patients whose dominant language is Spanish.

Class time involves considerable practice with pronunciation and verbal stress as well as training the ear to learn to listen to Spanish for meaning. Activities will include role-play, practicing scenarios to include brief conversations and medical interviews and expanding vocabulary with emphasis on medical terminology encountered in a medical environment with Spanish-speaking patients. There is limited emphasis on grammar and students will learn ways in which to be communicative with only a few basic “conversation starters” as well as giving affirmative and negative commands.

There will also be a focus on developing relationships with Spanish-speaking patients and understanding their cultural values and expectations in efforts to avoid misunderstandings.

By the end of the class, students should be able to communicate in simple Spanish using the vast amount of cognate words, high-frequency vocabulary and conversation starters to have basic conversations in simple terms regarding personal questions as well as questions regarding the patient’s health. Students will learn how to give advice and recommendations using short sentences. students will be given information regarding where to locate a wide variety of resources, such as online resources, apps, books and more for practice outside the classroom once the class is finished.

Course Fee: $175 plus cost of book ($25/will be available first day of class).

Course Location: Kalamazoo Valley Groves Center, 7107 Elm Valley Drive Kalamazoo, 49009.

For more information contact Melody Woods, Program Coordinator, at mwoods@kvcc.edu, or 269.353.1290.

To register, go to www.kvcc.edu/trainingschedule.