‘<i>La Oportunidad</i>’ – simulation as an opportunity for training language among health care providers

Abstract

Medical training is an immersive process requiring the application of knowledge in practice. Training programmes can also be challenged by addressing cultural differences such as language barriers. This study examined learners’ perceived effectiveness of a traditional Spanish didactic training programme and an integrated Spanish-simulation training programme during their first month of training in an Emergency Medicine (EM) residency programme on the United States–Mexico border. This study employed two groups of participants: (1) Post-graduate Year 2 (PGY2), PGY3 and immediate post-graduates from an EM residency programme and (2) incoming PGY1 residents over 4 years. Group 1 received traditional Spanish language training which was purely didactic. Group 2 received traditional classroom Spanish language training in addition to 25 simulation scenarios (integrated Spanish training). This training included five 1-hour didactic sessions specific to five patient complaints commonly seen in EM prior to the simulation. Participants completed pre- and post-surveys regarding their perceived Spanish language proficiency and training effectiveness. Forty per cent of Group 1 participants ( Overall, study findings suggest that clinically applied Spanish training during simulation was seen as more effective than traditional didactic instruction and led to increased perceived proficiency across all levels of Spanish-speaking ability.