Spanish Medical Manual for Volunteers

Spanish Medical Manual for Volunteers

Introduction

  • Overview: The manual was created for volunteers participating in Vida programs.

    • Authors: Daniela Bonilla, Eimy Pinto M.D., Karina Páez Madrigal.

    • Purpose: To teach volunteers essential Spanish vocabulary for effective communication with patients in clinics and public health contexts.

    • Encouragement: Encourages individuals with any level of Spanish knowledge to participate and learn.

Objectives

  • General Objective:

    • Recognize and actively use short phrases useful during clinics, public health programs, homestays, and overall trip experience.

  • Specific Objectives:

    • Introduce oneself in Spanish.

    • Communicate with a homestay family.

    • Use sentences from the questionnaire at Vida clinics.

    • Provide health promotion recommendations to patients.

Table of Contents

  • Major Sections:

    • Lesson I: Phonetic Alphabet

    • Lesson II: Greetings and Common Phrases

    • Lesson III: Introducing Yourself

    • Lesson IV: Meeting Your Homestay Family

    • Lesson V: Interviewing Your Patient

    • Lesson VI: Explaining a Prescription

    • Lesson VII: Learning Gestures

    • Lesson VIII: Health Recommendations

  • Annex: Anatomical terms and vocabulary.

  • Bibliography: Sources referenced.

Lesson I: Phonetic Alphabet

  • Phonetic Characteristics in Latin American Spanish:

    • Letters 'B' and 'V' are pronounced the same.

    • Letters 'S' and 'Z' are pronounced the same.

    • Rare usage of letter 'W'.

  • Phonetic Alphabet:

    • A: [ah]

    • B: [(bet)]

    • C: [(cell)]

    • D: [de]

    • E: [eh]

    • F: [efe]

    • G: [heh]

    • H: [ah-cheh]

    • I: [ee]

    • J: [hota]

    • K: [ca]

    • L: [ele]

    • M: [eme]

    • N: [ene]

    • Ñ: [enye]

    • O: [o]

    • P: [pe]

    • Q: [cu]

    • R: [erre]

    • S: [ese]

    • T: [te]

    • U: [oo]

    • V: [oobeh]

    • W: [doble-oobeh]

    • X: [eh-kiss]

    • Y: [yeh]

    • Z: [seta]

Lesson II: Greetings, Farewells & Common Phrases (Saludos, Despedidas y Frases Comunes)

  • Basic Greetings:

    • Hello! = ¡Hola!

    • Welcome = Bienvenido(a)

    • Good Morning = Buenos días

    • Good Afternoon = Buenas tardes

    • Good Evening/ Night = Buenas noches

  • Common Courtesies:

    • How are you? = ¿Cómo está?

    • Good/ Bad, thanks and you? = Bien/ mal, gracias, ¿y usted?

    • What is your name? = ¿Cómo se llama?

    • My name is… = Mi nombre es… / Me llamo…

    • Nice to meet you = Mucho gusto

    • Please = Por favor

    • You're welcome = Con mucho gusto

    • Thank you = Gracias

    • Excuse me / I'm sorry = Disculpe / Lo siento

  • Farewells:

    • Good bye = Adiós

    • See you tomorrow = Hasta mañana

    • See you later = Hasta luego

    • Ciao = ¡Chao!

Lesson III: Introducing Yourself (Presentándose)

  • Importance of Self-Introduction:

    • Building rapport with patients, homestay families, and friends.

  • Sample Dialogue:

    • Dr. Pinto: Hi! Good morning. I am Dr. Pinto.

    • Dr. Pinto: Welcome! What’s your name?

    • Volunteer: Hi! My name is Michael. I’m a med student.

  • Key Language Points:

    • Spanish adjectives require gender (masculine or feminine) and number (plural or singular).

  • Examples of Adjective Agreement:

    • Clean – Limpio (masculine) / Limpia (feminine)

    • La mesa está limpia (The table is clean).

    • Las mesas están limpias (The tables are clean).

    • El vaso está limpio (The glass is clean).

    • Los vasos están limpios (The glasses are clean).

Lesson IV: Meeting Your Homestay Family (Conociendo la Familia que Te Alojará)

  • Key Phrases for Interactions:

    • Hello/ Hi! = Hola!

    • Good Morning = Buenos días

    • How are you? = ¿Cómo está?

    • How did you sleep? = ¿Cómo durmió?

    • I like coffee = Me gusta el café

    • I don’t like beans = No me gustan los frijoles

    • I’m allergic to seafood = Soy alérgico a los mariscos

    • Can I have more rice? = Me podría dar más arroz?

    • I need another pillow/ blanket = Necesito otra almohada/ cobija

    • Thank you so much = Muchas gracias

    • Good Night = Buenas noches

    • See you later = Hasta luego

    • Goodbye = Adiós/ Chao

Lesson V: Interviewing Your Patient (Entrevistando a su Paciente)

  • Interview Structure:

    • A) Welcome = Bienvenido(a)

    • B) Personal Information Questions:

    1. What is your name? = ¿Cómo se llama? / ¿Cuál es su nombre?

    2. What is your last name? = ¿Cuál es su apellido?

    3. How do you spell it? = ¿Cómo se escribe?

    4. What is your telephone number? = ¿Cuál es su número de teléfono?

    5. How old are you? = ¿Cuántos años tiene?

    6. What is your occupation? = ¿Cuál es su ocupación/ profesión?

    7. Have you ever attended a VIDA clinic? = ¿Alguna vez ha asistido a una clínica de VIDA?

    8. Do you…? = ¿Usted…?

  • Sample Dialogue:

    • Doctor: What’s your name?

    • Patient: My name is Daniel.

    • Doctor: Have you attended a Vida Clinic before?

    • Patient: I have attended a Vida Clinic before.

    • Doctor: How old are you?

    • Patient: I am 35 years old.

    • Doctor: Do you smoke? Drink alcohol? Use drugs?

    • Patient: I don’t smoke and I don’t drink alcohol or use drugs either.

Lesson VI: Explaining a Prescription (Explicando una Receta)

  • Role of Volunteers:

    • Help doctors communicate prescription instructions to patients.

  • Examples of Prescriptions:

    • Take 2 pills per day for 5 days: 2 al día por 5 días.

    • Apply cream 2 times a day: Aplique crema 2 veces al día.

    • Each morning: cada mañana.

    • Before you eat: antes de comer.

    • With your meal: con su comida.

  • Prescription Format:

    • Patient Name, Age, Date, and Doctor’s Signatures included.

  • Types of Medicines:

    • PASTILLAS/TABLETS

    • CÁPSULAS/CAPSULES

    • JARABE/SYRUP

    • CREMA/LOTION

    • GOTAS/DROPS

    • INYECCIÓN/INJECTION

    • CUCHARADA/TABLESPOON

    • CUCHARADITA/TEASPOON

Lesson VII: Communication Tips (Gestos para la Comunicación)

  • Cultural Gestures:

    • Latinos use gestures to communicate. Smile as an icebreaker.

    • Be conscious that some may avoid eye contact due to cultural background.

Lesson VIII: Health Recommendations

  • Health Promotion Messages:

    1. Wash your hands: Lávese las manos.

    2. Wash hands before eating: Lávese las manos antes de comer.

    3. Wash hands after using the bathroom: Lávese las manos después de ir al baño.

    4. Brush your teeth: Lávese los dientes.

    5. Brush your teeth before sleeping: Lávese los dientes antes de ir a dormir.

    6. Do exercise 3 times a week: Haga ejercicio 3 veces por semana.

    7. Eat healthily: Coma saludable.

    8. Avoid too much salt: Evite mucha sal.

    9. Avoid fatty foods: Evite comidas grasosas.

    10. Avoid excess carbohydrates: Evite comer demasiadas harinas.

    11. Eat fruits and vegetables: Coma frutas y vegetales.

    12. Avoid smoking: Evite fumar.

    13. Avoid drinking alcohol: Evite tomar licor.

  • Conclusion:

    • The importance of simple health recommendations that people often overlook.

Annex (Anexo)

  • Body Parts in Spanish:

    • The Face (La Cara): pelo, frente, ojo, oído, nariz, boca, mejilla, barbilla.

    • The Body (El Cuerpo): dedo, mano, codo, abdomen, pene, tobillo, cabeza, cuello, pecho, ombligo, seno, cintura, vagina, genitales, rodilla, pie, espalda, muñeca, glúten, alga, talón, nuca, hombro, pierna.

Bibliography

  • Various sources on language learning and teaching methodologies, literature on second languages, teaching practices, and cultural education.

    • Noted authors: Alienza, Bello, Brown H.D., Mendoza, Murillo, and Richards & Rodgers among others.