The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is taking a significant step to reduce health disparities in Arizona’s Hispanic and Latinx population through a new medical Spanish initiative. The Advancing Medical Inclusivity: Growing our Spanish Skills (AMIGOSS) program, part of the Service and Community Health Certificate of Distinction, aims to produce bilingual physicians capable of providing equitable healthcare access to Spanish-speaking patients.
Dr. Alejandra Zapien-Hidalgo, an assistant professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, is spearheading this effort in collaboration with the college’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She emphasizes the critical need for this program, stating, “The impact of language on health care disparities is significant — with language being identified as a major contributor to health disparities for patients who prefer languages besides English — and may result in an increased risk of medical errors and poor health outcomes.”
The initiative responds to Arizona’s demographic reality, where 26% of individuals over five speak a language other than English at home, with approximately 19.2% speaking Spanish. By enabling direct communication between physicians and Spanish-speaking patients, the program aims to improve the accuracy of medical dialogues, build trust, and ultimately enhance health outcomes.
Medical students participating in the program, such as Isrealia Jado and Antonella Semaan, recognize the importance of being truly bilingual in providing quality care. They view the AMIGOSS program as an opportunity to better serve Hispanic and migrant populations in the Phoenix area, addressing the growing need for culturally competent healthcare providers.
See “The Importance of Medical Spanish in Building Relationships with Patients” (October 13, 2024)