Medical Spanish Program
Pacific University offers coursework in the Spanish language specifically for healthcare providers, both at the graduate and undergraduate level. Information about the courses and requirements for enrollment in these courses is listed below.
Courses
BEGINNER COURSES:
CHP 501/301 Healthcare Spanish I (1 credit):
This introductory course will develop the skills needed to understand and communicate in Spanish on a beginning level within the healthcare setting. In addition, the course will help the student gain valuable understanding of basic cultural issues related to Hispanic patients. No prior Spanish knowledge is required for this class. No prior Spanish knowledge is required for this class.
FALL- Pass/No Pass
CHP 502/302 Healthcare Spanish II (1 credit):
This course will continue to develop the skills needed to understand and communicate in Spanish on a beginning level within the healthcare setting. In addition, the course will help the student gain valuable understanding of basic cultural issues related to Hispanic patients.
FALL- Pass/No Pass
Pre-requisite: CHP 501/Placement test
INTERMEDIATE COURSES:
CHP 601/401 Intermediate Spanish I (1 credit):
This course will make a practical review of Spanish grammatical structures of relevance to the healthcare setting. In addition, the course will help the student gain valuable understanding of basic cultural issues related to Hispanic patients. The class will be taught in Spanish.
FALL- Pass/No Pass
Pre-requisite: Placement test
CHP 602/402 Intermediate Spanish II (1 credit):
This course will continue to make a practical review of Spanish grammatical structures of relevance to the healthcare setting. In addition, the course will help the student gain valuable understanding of basic cultural issues related to Hispanic patients. The class will be taught in Spanish.
SPRING- Pass/No Pass
Pre-requisite: CHP 601/Placement test
CHP 603/403 Intermediate Spanish III (1 credit):
This course will continue to make a practical review of Spanish grammatical structures of relevance to the healthcare setting In addition, the course will help the student gain valuable understanding of basic cultural issues related to the Spanish-speaking patient. The class will be taught in Spanish.
LATE SPRING - Pass/No Pass
Pre-requisite: CHP 602/Placement test
CAREER SPECIFIC COURSES:
DHS 354 - Spanish for Dental Professions (3 credits):
The course emphasizes the use of Spanish language and understanding of Spanish-speaking cultures to enhance communication with patients in dental healthcare settings.
SPRING
Pre-requisite: CHP 502/Placement test
First Year Module Physician's Assitant Students:
Career-specific Spanish is taught during each of the first year modules in Pacific University's Physician Assistant Studies. Students will be taught important phrases for diagnosing and examining common medical problems.
Enrolling - WebCAPE Placement
If you are interested in taking one of the Spanish courses offered by the Medical Spanish Program and are not enrolled in the School of Physician Assistant Studies or the School of Professional Psychology, you will have to take the WebCAPE language placement test prior to registering for a course. If you are a student within either the PA or SPP programs, please contact your individual program administrators for additional information about enrolling in Medical Spanish courses.
The WebCAPE test was developed by The Brigham Young University Humanities Technology and Research Support Center. It is designed to help you determine which course you should take, base on your ability. The results are available to the appropriate person for evaluation. The Medical Spanish Program will review the results of the placement exam, in conjunction with the information you provide in the short survey also included as part of the test. The Program reserves the right to change the student's placement in a course if it believes that the student has not been placed in the most appropriate course.
NOTE: You might be exempt from taking the placement test. To find out, please answer the following question.
Do you speak Spanish at home?
YES
NO
Follow these general guidelines for native Spanish speakers
Follow these general guidelines for non-native Spanish speakers
DO NOT TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST IF:
You graduated from high school in a Spanish-speaking country.
Instead: It is suggested you enroll in Medical Interpreting courses at another institution.DO NOT TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST IF:
You have never taken Spanish.
Instead: Enroll in CHP 501: Healthcare Spanish ITAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST IF:
You speak Spanish at home, but are unsure of your level in Spanish and would like to take Heritage Spanish courses at other institutions.
TAKE THE PLACEMENT TEST IF:
You have had any previous exposure to Spanish and would like to take one of the courses offered by the Medical Spanish program, or you are planning to participate in the interdisciplinary trip to Nicaragua or any other program/trip that requires intermediate knowledge of the language.
If you have any questions, contact the Medical Spanish Coordinator at mong8906@pacificu.edu (attention: Katya M. Hall M.A.)
Registering for the Exam
- Go to https://www.aetip.com/student/RegisterStudent.cfm
- Complete the "Student CAPE Exam Registration".
- You will receive an email confirmation of your purchase with the link and exam ID (password). You can begin the test at that time, or wait to take the exam. It is strongly suggested you take the test immediately to avoid future difficulties.
- Once you start taking the test, complete the short survey describing your experience with Spanish and click the "continue" button to begin the exam.
- Follow the directions when completing the exam. It should take about 20 minutes to complete it.
- Once you receive your score, write it down or print it out for future reference.
- Finally, email the Medical Spanish Coordinator mong8906@pacificu.edu with your score.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
- You may NOT use books, notes or any other materials or resources when completing the test. Remember, this is a placement test; you should do the best you can. If you get help or use restricted materials, you will likely place yourself in a course, which is too difficult for you.
- The WebCAPE will cover both familiar and unfamiliar material in order to find out what you do know and what you do not know. Answer the questions to the best of your ability.
- Because this test is used for placement purposes, we recommend only taking the exam once. If you take the test more than once, only your first score will be used to help determine placement.
- If you lose your information, you can contact the WebCAPE support group by email at (support@aetip.com); however, make sure you keep your information secure.
GOOD LUCK!!!