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Bridging Language Barriers in Healthcare: An Innovative Curriculum for Teaching Medical Students to Work Effectively with Medical Interpreters

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: The proportion of limited English proficiency (LEP) patients continues to rise and now represents 10% of the US population. These patients face many health care challenges and health disparities. To address the needs of educating the next generation of physicians on how to work with patients with limited English proficiency, we developed an instructional session focused on this goal. Methods: First year medical students participated in a 90-minute session focused on best practices for working with interpreters and LEP patients. During the didactic part of the session, faculty led students in a discussion regarding best practices through use of video examples. During the interactive exercise, students obtained the HPI from a mock patient fluent in a language other than English through use of a phone interpreter. Results: Following the session, the proportion of students that felt confident in obtaining a HPI from a LEP patient increased from 27% to 72%. The proportion of students who felt that it was unacceptable to have a family member interpret for a LEP patient increased from 50.5% to 68.5%. Discussion: Our innovative and practical curriculum can be easily incorporated into medical school curricula, ensuring medical students are prepared to work with trained professional interpreters and meet the needs of a diverse patient population.

Source: MedEdPublish

DOI: 10.12688/mep.20473.1

Authors: Sarah Yentz, Margaret Dobson, Jennifer Stojan, Kathleen Bronson Dussán

Institutions: University of Michigan, Michigan Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,589