Medical Spanish Immersion Enrichment Week

The Medical Spanish Immersion Enrichment Week provides students with an opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a bilingual, cross-cultural care setting by spending time at community clinics serving primarily Spanish-speaking families.

Students will increase their knowledge of medical Spanish while speaking Spanish with patients and families but with the “communication safety net” of an interpreter if/when needed. More specifically, students will:

1. Participate in patient care visits in order to develop clinical and language skills:
2. Identify questions about health practices and beliefs that might be important in a specific local community
3. Use Spanish to participate in medical encounters with the assistance of an interpreter when needed
4. Students at the appropriate level will be referred to complete Bilingual certification at KUMED
5. Describe the functions of an interpreter, identify when an interpreter is needed and collaborate with an interpreter effectively

Students with moderate Spanish proficiency, as well as heritage speakers, are encouraged to apply.

Structural Competency Enrichment Week

The Structural Competency Enrichment Week gives students an opportunity to gain an appreciation of the different structures and systems that have an affect on access and outcomes in U.S. health care.

In collaboration with several departments at KU Medical Center, the Office of Student Engagement participates in the development and implementation of this enrichment opportunity which includes reading discussions, community panels, clinical cases analysis, and a photovoice project.

More specifically, the structural competency enrichment week provides students an opportunity to:

1. Explore, learn, and acquire the professional language and theoretical framework needed to discuss structural competencies in medicine
2. Understand the historical origins of the use of categorization in medical science and clinical practice
3. Critically analyze the connections between health disparities and structural barriers

Stay up-to-date with our website and social media for updates on when Enrichment Week events are happening!