SEMO provides new minor in Spanish for the health professions

Southeast Missouri State University health care students now have an opportunity to earn a new minor in Spanish.

The program prepares students to discuss health matters with Spanish-speaking patients, “potentially assisting a population that has been underserved due to communication issues,” according to a university news release.

The 18-credit-hour minor complements programs in nursing, health communication, pre-physician assistant, pre-physical therapy, health management and biomedical sciences.

For Southeast nursing student Preston Holifield of Farmington, Missouri, the program was an opportunity to increase his Spanish fluency and better understand Hispanic culture.

“I want to be able to empathize and connect with my patients in my future practice, and I felt like one of the best ways to do this is to immerse myself in the language and customs of a foreign culture,” Holifield, who plans to graduate this May, said in the release.

Debbie Lee-DiStefano, Spanish language and culture professor at Southeast, said the program allows students going into health care fields a chance to be “linguistic and cultural ambassadors,” according to the release.