Certificate in Spanish for Healthcare Professions

Note: This certificate is not a professional certification for medical interpreting.

Why get a Certificate?

Baylor University’s Certificate in Spanish for Health Professions equips students to effectively communicate with Spanish-speaking patients to achieve better health outcomes. It enhances career readiness in health care by: 

• strengthening conversational skills and cultural proficiency before graduate, medical, or professional school.
• expanding understanding about issues surrounding language access through clinical observations with Spanish-speaking patients.
• increasing understanding through community service-learning of Spanish-speaking patients’ lived experience.
• improving the ability to work effectively with interpreters.
• learning how to advocate for patients who speak languages other than English.
• reflecting on linguistic challenges and areas for personal language growth.
• achieving a higher level of Spanish proficiency to continue as a life skill.
• providing evidence of medical Spanish skills (certificate on transcript) to enhance qualifications for admission to graduate, medical, and professional schools and for employment.

Application Process

To apply, students must:

1. Request the application form from the certificate director.
2. Submit the completed form digitally.
3. Receive official acceptance via email.

Students are encouraged to apply at the end of Spanish 2321. Students are not in the program until they receive an official acceptance email from the certificate director.
 
Required Courses

• Spanish 2321 – Intermediate Spanish for Health Professions
• Spanish 3302 – Conversation and Composition or 3301 – Spanish for Christian Ministry or 3304 – Heritage Spanish
• Another upper-level Spanish elective
• Spanish 3001 – Health Contract (zero-hour course; may be concurrent with 3302/3304 or an elective)
• Spanish 4321 – Advanced Spanish for Health Professions

Important Details
• Spanish 2321 is offered every semester and sometimes during summer sessions.
• Spanish 3001 – Health Contract (zero-hour course) must be completed before Spanish 4321.
      o Offered every semester, including summers.
      o Students should email the undergraduate program director, Dr. Allyson Irom 
(Allyson_Irom@baylor.edu), for an override to register once accepted into the program.
• Spanish 4321 is only offered in the spring.
     o Requires instructor approval.
     o Preference is given to graduating seniors who have already completed all requirements, including the health contract.

THE HEALTH CONTRACT (SPANISH 3001)

Spanish 3001 requires students to complete a short project that connects Spanish with health care. 

The project:
• Must be in Spanish (exceptions may be approved if intended for an English-language conference).
• Should engage students in critical thinking and link Spanish language with future career and service in health care.
• Can be supervised by any Spanish faculty member (except graduate students). Faculty may decline supervision requests and refer students elsewhere. When the project is complete, faculty should email the certificate director:
1. A copy of the final project.
2. The final grade (pass/fail or letter grade, at instructor’s discretion).

For additional information:

Contact the certificate director, Dr. Hardin, at Karol_Hardin@baylor.edu