Reproductive Health Communication in Spanish: A Standardized Patient-Based Module for Second-Year Medical Students

Spanish-speaking patients with non-English language preferences experience communication inequities, particularly in encounters that are sensitive and require nuanced language. Prior medical Spanish curricula have improved general communication skills but have largely focused on other organ systems, with limited attention to reproductive health. To address this gap, we developed a 3-week reproductive medical Spanish module focused on reproductive health communication in Spanish.

We implemented a 3-week module for second-year medical students that included faculty-led sessions, small-group activities, and standardized patient encounters. Assessment consisted of a 12-minute OSCE using a standardized patient case of a 30-year-old with lower abdominal pain requiring a focused reproductive history and patient-centered communication in Spanish. Performance was evaluated using an observational rubric with published validity evidence for assessing medical Spanish oral proficiency in standardized patient encounters.

A total of 128 students completed the final assessment. The mean score was 77.42% (SD = 2.28), with a median of 78% (range 68%-92%). More than half (53.9%) scored 80% or higher, and 87.5% scored at least 70%, demonstrating the ability to obtain a focused reproductive health history and communicate effectively in Spanish during a standardized patient encounter.

Learners completed core reproductive health communication tasks in Spanish during a standardized patient encounter. The module addressed an underrepresented area in medical Spanish education and demonstrated the feasibility of integrating reproductive health communication training within a systems-based curriculum.