Developing a one-shot medical Spanish module for medical students: an open educational resource approach

One-shot instruction sessions, commonly used in academic libraries, are introductory presentations that teach research skills, source evaluation, and database use. They are designed to make a meaningful impact in a very limited time and are motivational rather than comprehensive. Similarly, one-time medical Spanish workshops in medical education can serve as initial learning experiences for medical students that encourage continued engagement with language learning to build fluency and ultimately improve health equity for Spanish-speaking patients. This paper presents the development and delivery of a one-hour, open educational resource medical Spanish module that can be distributed and adapted for personal use. A medical librarian developed and delivered a one-hour medical Spanish module to first-year medical students (N = 84). Learning was assessed using two questions aligned with the session's objectives that were embedded in a summative course examination. Descriptive analysis was used to summarize student responses and evaluate understanding of key concepts. On the summative examination administered one month later, approximately three-fifths of students correctly answered the module-related questions. Additionally, about 39% of the class pursued further Spanish learning opportunities during medical school. This educational intervention suggests that brief, introductory medical Spanish instruction may support early development of cultural and linguistic competencies and encourage continued study. While limited in scope, such exposure may serve as a gateway to more sustained engagement with the language.