Working in healthcare, arguably one of the most important aspects is communication. Constantly, as a healthcare worker interacting with patients, be it via spoken or written words, communication is an essential factor in patient care. Therefore, it is imperative that all forms of communication between the healthcare professional and the patient are effective and within the best interest of the patient. If there are errors within communication, it is possible the patient may be adversely impacted, because ultimately, the fate of that patient’s life is within the hands of the healthcare professional.

          My Spanish major has been and will continue to be of great use to me when it comes to my career in the healthcare field. Currently, I work in a pharmacy, and many of the customers that I serve on a daily basis are Spanish-speaking with little-to-no functional English. Since I am the only employee on my team who speaks Spanish, it is fully my responsibility to communicate with these individuals and ensure that there are no misunderstandings on either end. Often times, there are certain situations in which I am an intermediary between the pharmacist who does not speak Spanish and the customer who does not speak English, which means that I serve as a live translator. Thus, it is necessary that I be aware of the nuances and unique characteristics of each language in order to facilitate effective and accurate communication given that the well-being of the customers is of the utmost importance.

          In the future when I become a doctor, my ability to speak, read, and write in Spanish will provide me with many opportunities that I would not otherwise be presented with. Since I will have college-accredited credentials in Spanish, I will be able to exercise the language properly in a professional setting. These credentials will also present me with more job prospects as opposed to someone who does not have any proficiency in a foreign language. For instance, I could provide healthcare in a Spanish-speaking country or community, which is currently my goal, and I could therefore help a broader range of people, including those who may also be underprivileged or misinformed about their health. As a multilingual healthcare worker, it is my responsibility and desire to ensure that everybody, regardless of gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, nationality, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, and career, not just language, receives appropriate and sufficiently adequate attention and respect.