ECC to offer new online Basic Spanish for Medical Personnel certificate this fall

Elgin Community College's Modern Languages department will offer a six credit-hour Basic Spanish for Medical Personnel certificate beginning with the fall 2018 semester.

This fully-online certificate program can be completed within one semester and is for individuals about to enter or currently working in the medical field, and those with an interest in the topic.

"The demand for health care professionals with Spanish-speaking skills is on the rise," said Ignacio Alvarez-Garcia, Ph.D., ECC instructional coordinator. "Current professionals and students going into health care will greatly benefit by learning the basic grammar and vocabulary needed to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients."

The program is designed to provide health care workers with the language skills necessary to effectively communicate with Spanish-speaking patients at a basic level. Examples of what students can expect to learn include how to gather a patient's insurance information, asking health history questions and other conversation topics commonly used in patient care.

Required courses for certificate completion include: Basic Spanish for Medical Personnel I (SPN-171) and Basic Spanish for Medical Personnel II (SPN-172).

For more information on the Basic Spanish for Medical Personnel certificate visit elgin.edu/spanishformedical or contact Ignacio Alvarez-Garcia, ECC instructional coordinator, at (847) 214-7937 or Ialvarez-garcia@elgin.edu.