Other Online Certificates and Courses

 Register Online

Call us at:
814-262-3815

Send email to:
commed@pennhighlands.edu

   Are you frustrated by the communication gap that can occur between you and your Spanish-speaking patients? If you answered yes, this Spanish class - designed specifically for healthcare professionals - will help you bridge that gap. You will practice the basic, practical language skills needed to effectively communicate with your Spanish-speaking patients and their families. You will learn the basics of the language, gain an understanding of the culture, and know how to ask the questions crucial to quality healthcare.
   Whether you speak some Spanish and need a refresher, or speak no Spanish, you will complete the course with the skills you will need to effectively communicate with your Spanish-speaking patients.

Course Outline

About online learning

Online learning is a fun, enjoyable and very productive way to learn. Millions of people are learning online each year. You will engage with the instructor and other participants. You will get to know your instructor and other participants. You may make friends.  It’s easy. It’s fun. 

How the Course Works

It is easy to participate in your online course. After you register, you will be given a web address to go to get into your online classroom.  You will have a password and use your email address and password to gain access.

Once inside the online classroom, here’s what you can expect.

Participate when you want

You can participate any time of day or evening. The online classroom is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
There are no live real-time requirements or meetings. You decide when you participate.
For the best learning, participants should log into the course on 2-3 different days of the week.

What you will do

For each Unit, you will:

• Readings are assigned for each day from the textbooks provided at registration.
• Have the option of accessing the online readings
• Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides
• Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned
• Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants

For best learning, you should make one or more comments at 2-3 different times each day, since it is a week long course.

The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience.

Discussion

The Discussion for each Unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night.

Your instructor will log into the Discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants.

We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each day to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

It’s easy. It’s fun.

$290 USD

About Your Instructor

Cristina Sempé specializes in teaching her native language to adults, having taught more than 35 years at community colleges, community education programs, and for Cleveland City Schools’ adult education. She has designed effective Spanish lessons for a variety of groups with needs ranging from casual travel to professional development.  Her specialized courses have been used in the private sector and in non-profit organizations to enhance employee interactions with Spanish-speaking employees, customers and clients.  In addition to teaching, Ms. Sémpé is also a certified translator, having translated technical documents from Spanish to English and English to Spanish.

What some students say:

"I truly enjoyed the course and look forward to the Intermediate level."

"I enjoyed this class and would recommend it to those who have an interest for learning a foreign language for their profession."

Course Objectives

1. To recognize the basic sounds of the Spanish language and the correct pronunciation
2. To be able to make introductions using the verb “to be,” adjectives and vocabulary related to the medical profession, and Spanish notions of gender and number for nouns, adjectives, articles and their agreements
3. To understand the Spanish uses of verb mood, tense number, and person
4. To identify parts of the body and names of different organs and bones, as well as symptoms and ailments
5. To acquire the ability to interview patients, take medical histories, conduct physical examinations, give prescriptions and follow-up instructions, and intervene with medical emergencies

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course you will:

1.    Have the ability to form and speak simple sentences in Spanish.
2.    Know how to tell time and identify the days of the week, months of the year, and how to ask for a birth date.
3.    Identify and correctly pronounce body parts and symptoms in Spanish.
4.    Be able to ask your Spanish-speaking patients about their medical history, age, and symptoms using “question” words such as how, when, who, do you, where, why, how much, which, what, what for, and to give instructions.
5.    Effectively communicate with patients’ family members.
6.    Have an understanding of cultural norms in Latin American countries.

Completion Requirements