A Medical Arabic Course for Healthcare Professionals

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Linguistics in Healthcare
• Cross-cultural Communication

Background:

• Over 1.4 million Arabic speakers reside in the U.S., yet Arabic-specific linguistic training for healthcare providers is scarce.
• Limited provider proficiency in Arabic can hinder effective communication and patient-provider relationships.
• Addressing this gap is crucial for equitable and patient-centered care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel Medical Arabic course designed for healthcare professionals.
• To assess the course's effectiveness in enhancing participants' Arabic language skills and confidence in clinical settings.
• To improve provider-patient communication and care for the Arabic-speaking population.

Main Methods:

• A synchronized online Medical Arabic course (MA-I and MA-II) was delivered over three years via Zoom.
• The curriculum included instructor-led lectures, interactive breakout rooms, and role-playing exercises.
• A post-course survey evaluated participants' comfort levels in using Arabic for various medical communication tasks.

Main Results:

• 117 participants completed MA-I and 47 completed MA-II.
• A majority of survey respondents reported increased comfort in using Arabic for medical history taking (81%), general communication (78%), and understanding medical terms (81%).
• Significant improvements were noted in participants' confidence in explaining diagnoses (66%) and giving instructions (56%).

Conclusions:

• The Medical Arabic course effectively enhances healthcare providers' comfort and confidence in communicating with Arabic-speaking patients.
• Improved language proficiency contributes to stronger provider-patient relationships and better health outcomes.
• This initiative addresses critical gaps in provider preparedness, fostering more equitable healthcare delivery.