What brought my interest to the Spanish field? Well, as a child I have seen that there are a lot of language barriers that don’t allow individuals to have access to healthcare or other public services. My parents both speak Spanish because they are from Guatemala. They understand a little bit of English, but they can’t speak it. They always need an interpreter, but sometimes there isn’t one available. Due to this, I decided to practice my Spanish more in order to develop it further and support my community, since being bilingual in Spanish and English I could help my community to not feel uncomfortable when there isn’t a person who can translate the language they don’t understand. 

Additionally, I have observed how important interpreters are and how a patient feels when their medical provider doesn’t speak the same language as them. In the future, I would like to work as a medical interpreter or an educational interpreter because I understand that language is important. This is why I want to help my community which consists mostly of Spanish speaking people. By having a job that involves Spanish, I can help them so that language no longer becomes a barrier for them in not being able to get these services. 

I am not double-majoring, or minoring in another field, but I am planning to get the certificate in Spanish & Health. My Spanish major relates to this certificate since I am learning about different cultures where the language of Spanish has an influence on the community. As well as how knowing the Spanish language can help me to understand medical terminology sufficiently. Since I interact with my classmates and professors in Spanish and in my community that consists of a mostly Spanish-speaking population. By taking the course Spanish 356 – Spanish for Medical Professions this spring semester 2023, I will be able to apply for an internship either in the clinic or a hospital setting as a medical receptionist or a customer service representative. Due to the fact that I will already gain experience with the medical terms and knowing the Spanish language which will help me in being successful in achieving the internship job and helping my community as an intern. This internship experience can help me learn about other potential job opportunities related to my major and other skills that I have and eventually decide what career I may lean towards pursuing after graduating. Lastly, the combination of my major and the certificate can prepare me for work after graduation by being Bilingual in Spanish and English as well as having other skills such as office management, computer skills, and having the knowledge of medical terminology. Which can open many doors to different job opportunities in the health field as a Spanish interpreter, medical receptionist, customer service representative as well as in other fields.