Spanish Healthcare Interpretation Minor

The minor in Spanish Healthcare Interpretation combines expertise in Spanish language and multilingual translation and interpretation with a justice-oriented approach to community health. While gaining the knowledge and skills to facilitate culturally and linguistically appropriate services within clinical settings, students in this program also examine the systemic changes needed to support the health and wellbeing of marginalized populations.

Students who complete the Minor in Spanish Healthcare Interpretation develop skills, and gain experience in interpretation in medical contexts. Students wanting to pursue careers in healthcare interpretation should get certified with Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI), or National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI), among others. Requirements and processes may vary depending on the certifying body.

Contact Information

Department of Applied Humanities

humanities@humboldt.edu

(707) 826-5500

Requirements for the Minor (15-18 Units)

Spanish (7-10 units)

Choose one course:
SPAN 310 - Spanish Advanced Oral Skills Units: 3
SPAN 311 - Spanish Level V, Advanced Grammar and Composition Units: 3
Take the following courses:
SPAN 308S - Introduction to Translation and Interpretation Units: 3
SPAN 408S - Field Experience: Translation and Interpretation Units: 1-4

Health Care Systems (6 units)

Choose two courses:
HED 210 - Health Care Systems and Health Policy Units: 3
HED 211 - Health Advocacy and Justice in Medicine Units: 3
HED 350 - Ethical, Legal, and Financial Concerns in Health Advocacy Units: 3
ENGL 309W - Narrative Medicine: Communication in Health Care Units: 3

Medical Terminology (2 units)

Take the following courses during the same semester:
KINS 244 - Medical Terminology Units: 1
SPAN 244 - Medical Terminology in Spanish Units: 1

Program Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the minor, students will:

Understand how healthcare interpreting can impact patient outcomes.
Understand scope of practice for healthcare interpretation and apply ethical standards of the field.
Effectively communicate community health information in both oral and written forms in Spanish and in English through a variety of media and to diverse audiences.
Demonstrate ability to locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize community health information.
Guide access to, and navigation of, systems and institutions of healthcare as well as community-based services and resources; optimize patient and family empowerment, self-efficacy, and wellness.
Assess barriers to health care access and engage community members in creating potential solutions to these barriers.
Recognize cultural difference and the relationship between culture and health; critique normative, biased and ableist definitions of health; address disparities and forms of discrimination in healthcare; advance health equity through stewardship and advocacy.
Demonstrate awareness of structural and social determinants of health.