The University of Central Florida (UCF) College of Medicine announced on Mar. 25 a new Spanish-language program designed to help medical students better serve Florida’s large population of Spanish speakers. UCF is the first medical school in Florida to offer Spanish language certification through the national Physician Oral Language Observation Matrix exam.
This initiative comes as Florida ranks among the top four states for Latino populations and Spanish speakers, with about 22% of Floridians speaking Spanish at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The program aims to address communication barriers that can impact patient safety and care quality.
Three students have already passed the national exam, which certifies their ability to provide care in Spanish without an interpreter, while four more await results and eleven are working toward completion. Two certified students recently learned they will remain in Florida for their residency programs after Match Day.
“The exam represents a meaningful milestone because it validates that a student can provide safe, language-concordant care in clinical settings,” said Analia Castiglioni, assistant dean and director of the Spanish language program at UCF.
Fourth-year student Rodolfo Rodriguez shared his experience learning medical terminology beyond casual household use: “Household Spanish is much more casual and you’re not using terms that are prevalent in the medical field… There are also words that don’t directly translate the same.” Rodriguez matched into physical medicine and rehabilitation at University of Miami and said he looks forward to helping patients feel comfortable during recovery: “Many people here in Florida don’t speak English as a first language, so being able to use my medical Spanish… is something I know will make a difference.”
Elizabeth Durkin, another fourth-year M.D. candidate who completed certification, said: “Being able to speak directly with non-English speaking patients has been a goal of mine for a long time.” Durkin will begin her neurology residency this summer at HealthONE in Englewood, Colorado.
Students can take Medical Spanish electives before their second year or during their fourth year prior to clinical rotations. Training includes practicing patient histories and treatment plans with standardized patients under evaluation by Brenda Perez, Certified Healthcare Interpreter in Spanish.
Castiglioni said she hopes the program continues expanding: “That means building strong partnerships with clinical sites that serve Spanish-speaking communities and creating opportunities for our students to rotate in those settings.”
