As most of you know, I am taking Medical Spanish this semester. I decided to take it because of the fact that despite what my upbringing in Maine might have taught me about our society, the world is a multicultural place. Not everyone is a white, English speaking lobsterman or logger or carpenter. I remember the first time I went to Target down here and heard most of the employees and a few shoppers speaking Spanish. I have no problem admitting I was a little shocked. Anyways, I've come to understand a lot more in these past six years that we really are a global and multicultural nation, and we need to be focusing on expanding our educations to accommodate such change. Also, working in the ER has shown me that sometimes it can take a while to get an interpreter (NO GOOD!). Someday I hope to spend significant time doing medical missions, and we all know that I wouldn't succeed at all down there without a little bit of Spanish under my belt.

Anyways, I thought I would type out a sampling of the phrases and vocabulary that I have been learning...just in case anyone might be wondering about these things! ;)

Need help?
¿Necesita ayuda?

Where does it hurt?
¿Dónde le duele?

I need a sample of your urine/feces/sputum/blood
Necesito un análisis de la orina/materia fecal/esputo/sangre

You need an x-ray of your head/back/lungs/chest/leg/wrist
Necesita una radiografía de la cabeza/de la espalda/de los pulmones/del pecho/de la pierna/de la muñeca

Who is paying the bill, you or the insurance company?
¿Quién paga la cuenta? ¿Usted o el seguro?

Your insurance card, please.
La tarjeta del seguro médico, por favor

What would you like to eat?
¿Qué desea comer?

Do you cough a lot?
¿Tose mucho?

You shouldn't smoke anymore.
No debe fumar tanto.

Do you use dentures, glasses, or contact lenses?
¿Usa Ud. dentadura posiza, anteojos, o lentes de contacto?

Do you need the bedpan?
¿Necesita la chata?

You need to sign the authorization
Ud. debe firmar la autorización

You need to be admitted to the hospital
Ud. debe ingresar en el hospital

You need to take a medicine/tranquilizer/anti-spasmodic/antidiarrheic/antidepressan/sedative
Debe tomar una medicina/tranquilizante/antiespamódico/antidiarreico/antidepresivo/sedativo

He has a cold and he is asthmatic
Está resfriado, y como él asmático.

Are you allergic to any antibiotic? Any food? Pollen?
¿Es Ud. alérgico a algun antibiótico? ¿ algun alimento? ¿al polen?

Take the medicine before each meal/every four hours/with meals/at bedtime
Tome la medicina antes de cada comida/cada cuatro horas/con las comidas/al acostarse


Overall the class is pretty good, but I wish it was offered as a real class instead of an online one. Particularly because I have never studied spanish before. I can read and understand all this stuff real well, but I'm definitely weak it speaking it. I've got to work on that.