Academic Focus
The Spanish for Health Care Program at Veritas University is designed for students at all language levels who are dedicated to acquiring and improving specialized Spanish language skills in the medical field. Students can participate in a 1 or 2 Course option. Students taking the 1 Course option will be taking a Medical Spanish Language course taught at three levels; beginning, intermediate, and advanced. The course focuses on developing the ability to effectively communicate with patients through intensive practice of speaking and listening comprehension along with some reading and grammar, all set within a medical context.
Students in the beginner course will learn to communicate at an elementary level; greeting patients, asking for personal and medical information, recognizing vocabulary related to medical instruments, describing physical and mental states of patients, etc. At the intermediate level students will practice more extensive communication with patients and other medical personnel. Advanced students will fine-tune their language skills, discussing topics such as advantages and disadvantages of traditional vs. holistic medicine and preparing talks or presentations given at clinics or conferences. Regardless of the level of instruction, students should expect to give presentations that will simulate medical provider-patient interactions.
Students enrolling in the 2 Course option will also take the Costa Rican Health Care System elective which is complementary to the Medical Spanish Language Course. The elective course will provide you with insight into Costa Rica's socialized Health Care System, its strengths and weaknesses as well as the medical challenges presented by the country's tropical environment. In addition to in-class study, students will participate in field work consisting of visits to health fairs, medical clinics, and other course-related destinations.
Your Spanish language coursework, insight into Costa Rica's Health Care System and the opportunity to familiarize yourself with cultural elements affecting communication with patients, will all contribute to you being able to better understand and operate within a medical context involving native Spanish speakers.
The Medical Spanish Language course meets for a total of 80 contact hours, which is generally worth 5 credits in the US semester system. The Costa Rican Health Care Systems course meets for an additional 60 contact hours, 46 hours of in-class work and 14 hours of field study, and is generally worth 4 credits.
Schedule Summary
Your Medical Spanish language class meets for four hours every morning, Monday through Friday. The course is taught over the course of four weeks. The Costa Rican Health Care Systems elective lasts five weeks and meets every Monday through Thursday afternoon. Students taking the 1 Course option will be in class for only 4 weeks whereas students taking the 2 Course option will be in class for 5 weeks.
Course Registration
You will begin your session with a placement exam. You will then be placed in classes with other students of your own language level. The Medical Spanish Language course is offered at three different language levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. In order to ensure that you receive credit for the level that you place into, it is in your best interest to have courses at several levels approved by your academic advisor prior to departure.
