Medical students accepted in the BMS distinction track are required to complete a 4 week Spanish immersion externship in the summer between the 1st and 2nd year of medical school.
BMS students can complete this requirement concurrently with the Global Health or Rural Health Distinction Tracks as long as placement sites provide ample opportunity to communicate with patients, community members, clinicians and others in Spanish. Alternatively, BMS students can complete 100 hrs of clinical shadowing with Spanish-speaking residents in BUMC SC.
Medical students can also complete this requirement through participation in the Global MedCats - Costa Rica program.
Global MedCats – Costa Rica
Global MedCats – Costa Rica strives to prepare pre-health and health professions’ students to provide linguistically appropriate health care in Spanish through formal coursework, cultural immersion, and clinical observation. The program is a collaboration among the UA College of Medicine's Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Hospital Clínica Bíblica, and ICDS Study Abroad.
Other Medical and Health Professions Students
Global MedCats - Costa Rica is also available for other medical, health professions, and pre-health students interested in improving their medical Spanish communication skills to work with Limited English Proficiency, Spanish-speaking patients and communities.
