Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions

Beginning Fall 2021, the new Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions assists students interested in pursuing careers in medicine and various health professions, including public health, pharmacy, and other areas, in developing linguistic and cultural competencies related to Spanish and the cultures of Spanish-speaking countries. These competencies will assist them in providing services to Spanish-speaking patients and co-workers.

Program Objectives/Outcomes

Students will:

• Further develop their Spanish skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing with a focus on application in a medical- or health-related field;
• Recognize, comprehend, and develop respect for the differences among various types of Spanish and their related cultures;
• Engage in the practice of utilizing various techniques and skills necessary to translate between Spanish and English;
• Develop the ability to work effectively collaboratively.

Requirements for the Minor as of Fall 2023

If you have any prior experience with studying/speaking Spanish, please review our Placement Exam information prior to registration.

A minimum of 18 hours will be required for the minor. 12 core credit hours and at least 6 elective credit related to the culture(s) of the language being studied. The courses should be in the following areas: art, economics, English, history, marketing, music, philosophy, religion, political science, study of culture and society, and world languages and cultures.  Courses in other areas may be approved by a WLC advisor. No more than three credit hours may be in English. The prerequisites for the Spanish courses are indicated below.

The required core courses include (three credit hours each):

• SPAN 135 Spanish Medical Terminology – prerequisite SPAN 004
• SPAN 154 Cultural Health Perspectives – prerequisite SPAN 140

And 2 courses from the following (six credit hours total):

• SPAN 136 Basic Methods of Bilingual Medical Interpreting
• SPAN 139 Applied Spanish Medical Terminology – prerequisite SPAN 004
• SPAN 141 Spanish for Healthcare Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 140
• SPAN 142 Spanish for Medical Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 140

Total Required Core Courses = 12 hours

Electives include (three credit hours each):

• BIO 092 Introduction to Ethnobotany
• BIO 196 Biology Internship – with Spanish competence necessary
• HIST 189 US-Mexico Borderlands
• HSCI 104 Global Health
• PHAR 285 Rotations*
• SPAN 136 Basic Methods of Bilingual Medical Interpreting
• SPAN 139 Applied Spanish Medical Terminology – prerequisite SPAN 004
• SPAN 141 Spanish for Healthcare Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 004
• SPAN 142 Spanish for Medical Professionals – prerequisite SPAN 140
• SPAN 153 Culture and Society (focus on Maya) – prerequisite SPAN 140
• WLC 148 Intercultural Communication
• Other upper-level Spanish courses numbered 150 and above
• Additional courses approved by a WLC advisor

Total Elective Courses = 6 hours (or more)

*Students must have a CPHS-approved rotation at Primary Health Care in which they use Spanish in order to earn three hours of credit toward the minor.

Students may not receive both the Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions and the Minor in Spanish Language and Culture. However, the Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions may be earned in conjunction with the Major in Spanish. 

**AP/CLEP/IB/Seal of Biliteracy credits may not be applied toward the requirements for the Minor in Spanish for the Medical and Health Professions. These examinations and programs test course material covered in beginning- and intermediate-level Spanish courses at Drake. All Spanish courses that do count toward this minor are upper-level, so AP/CLEP/IB/Seal of Biliteracy credits are not appropriate for the minor.