Latin American Health and Language

Director/Co-director: Asia Bright, PhD & Dana McDowelle, MS, PhD

Didactic Coordinator: Lawrence “Zo” Ruiz 

Mission: To develop passionate medical students into culturally humble healthcare providers with increased sensitivity for their Spanish-speaking patients. Students will explore specific areas of interest aimed at developing personal Spanish proficiency, community service, and educational resources for Spanish speakers through didactics and a mentored project. Students will gain increased knowledge of Medical Spanish and the intersection of social factors influencing the health of Spanish speakers. 

Maximum number of students/year:  4 

Student selection process: Student applications and essays will be reviewed by the director. Students will be selected based on prior experiences, interest in Medical Spanish, Latin American/Hispanic cultural humility, and availability of faculty mentors to provide clinical opportunities, mentorship, and language integration as they align with the student’s interest. Proficiency in Medical Spanish is not required and may not be used to determine student enrollment into the concentration. 

Timeline for student completion of concentration requirements:  

Concentration requirements (didactic and experiential):   

Students will be required to complete a multidisciplinary curriculum to include Medical Spanish semester-long courses, participation and presentation in student interest groups, language assistance for incoming concentration participants and general Medical Spanish class attendees, and a mentored project that furthers scholarship in Latin American health. Students will also be required to shadow faculty members and demonstrate community service in Houston and throughout Texas. 

Recommended Timeline: 

MS1	MS2
Required  Application and acceptance into program, including essays  Identify a mentor and choose scholarly project  Attend 80% of lectures in Medical Spanish 1 (Spring Semester)  Optional  Attend lectures sponsored by the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA)  Apply for Summer Research Program	Required  Attend 80% of lectures in Medical Spanish 2 (Fall Semester)  Complete 20 hours of clinical shadowing, volunteering, or community outreach within the Spanish-speaking community  Continue planning project with mentor, complete mentorship agreement form  Act as teaching assistant for Medical Spanish 1 (Spring Semester)  Optional  Present at McGovern LMSA meeting
MS3	MS4
Required  Plan and execute project with mentor  Attend required clerkships with emphasis in Spanish-speaking clinical opportunities such as LBJ hospital  Clerkship preference should be coordinated with clerkship administration for those completing the Scholarly Concentration  Optional  Present at regional LMSA meeting	Required  Complete project and present findings in writing by presenting a professional poster or through a publishable format (due Fall semester)  Compose reflective essay about experiences, identifying a focus on Medical Spanish education, Spanish healthcare resource availability, or clinical experiences (due Spring semester)  Complete evaluation of Scholarly Concentration program and curriculum  Optional  Present at regional LMSA meeting  Present at McGovern Spring Senior Research Day  Mentor MS1 LMSA members

Students that receive credit for Medical Spanish I or Medical Spanish II before acceptance to the program will have that credit honored for the scholarly concentration requirements. Students accepted in their MS2 year may receive credit for Medical Spanish I concurrently during the Medical Spanish II elective supplemental lecture series. Students accepted outside of recommended timeline may fulfill language requirements through 15 personalized tutoring sessions with didactic coordinator. 

Scholarly Project Guidelines: 

Students will design a project of interest in their first year in the program to be implemented throughout their medical school career. Projects must be completed by the Fall semester of their final year and submitted for publication or presentation before graduation. Students may use the Summer Research Program or research electives to supplement their project. Above all, students are encouraged to pursue projects that demonstrate awareness of issues impacting the Spanish-speaking community. 

Projects are expected to be one of the following: 

• Basic Sciences and Clinical Research 

• Projects of this category aim to further medical understanding to create better outcomes for people in the Spanish-speaking community 

• Demographic Research and Quality Improvement 

• Projects of this category aim to identify and address social and health disparities that might impact health outcomes for Spanish-speaking patients 

• Educational Resources 

• Projects of this category aim to create distributable educational resources to be displayed and provided to Spanish-speaking patients of the UTHealth system 

Academic Standing and Withdrawal from Concentration: 

Concentration participants must maintain good academic standing with McGovern Medical School or will be limited in their participation by the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. Students withdrawing from the concentration or will be on academic leave for completion of another educational program (PhD/MPH) must notify Director and Administrative Coordinator to maintain accuracy of student rosters. 

Suggested Scholarly Concentration Faculty: 

Faculty Name	Contribution to Concentration	Department
Gabriel Aisenberg, MD	Mentor	Internal Medicine
Pedro Balaguera, MD	Mentor	Neurology
Carlos Carreno, MD	Mentor	Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Ob/Gyn
Joel Fronterra, MD	Mentor	Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Amalia Guardiola, MD	Mentor	Pediatrics
Nuria Lacuey Lecumberri, MD, PhD	Mentor	Neurology

Students may select and partner with faculty not listed above as they align with the student’s research interest(s). All faculty members and projects must be submitted to Director/Didactic Coordinator for approval to ensure they align with concentration expectations and scope of scholarship.