Marco Alem谩n, MD is like most physicians. When he identifies a problem, he seeks a solution.
In the early 2000鈥檚, Alem谩n and colleagues observed a near 500% increase in Spanish-speaking populations from 1990 to 2000 in the North Carolina census. Despite this surge, there was a noticeable lack of physicians and providers who could effectively care for these patients.
鈥淲orking around here in the hospitals and clinics, we saw this great number of [Spanish-speaking] patients coming in, and we didn鈥檛 see people who could communicate in their own language at the time,鈥� Alem谩n said.
The solution? The 黑料网鈥檚 Comprehensive Advanced Medical Program of Spanish (CAMPOS), an enrichment program designed to graduate medical students capable of independently caring for the growing number of Spanish-speaking patients.
Founded in 2004 by Alem谩n and his colleagues, CAMPOS is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. The program has been instrumental in training medical students to become bilingual Spanish-English physicians, ready to serve communities throughout North Carolina and beyond.
Each year, around 25-30 medical students are accepted into CAMPOS. These students enter with intermediate to advanced Spanish fluency.
鈥淲e emphasize active learning, speaking in a contextual manner,鈥� said Alem谩n, program director of CAMPOS. 鈥淚 tell them they鈥檙e not here to hear me give a PowerPoint talk in Spanish. It鈥檚 getting to talk and apply the information.鈥�
Often, when the medical students are learning about a certain condition in English, CAMPOS integrates that topic into role-play cases and other activities, helping students use the necessary vocabulary, medical terminology and phrasing. They also volunteer for community service opportunities with Spanish-speaking populations, fulfilling the program’s requirement of community engagement. This allows them to learn about the community’s needs while also learning about the language and culture of their future patients.
This all comes together when the students begin using Spanish in clinical settings.
Jason Lee, an MS4 and soon-to-be internal medicine resident, plans to become a nephrologist. He knows he will continue using the skills he developed in CAMPOS daily as he learns from his Spanish-speaking patients and works to address the unique health barriers their communities face.
鈥淚t has been a privilege to learn from Dr. Alem谩n and the far-reaching network of CAMPOS alumni across the state,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淚 see the meaningful impact of the program in the way my Latino patients respond with deep appreciation when I engage with them in their native language and help them better understand complex medical conditions.鈥�
Anna DeFilippis, an MS3, shared a similar sentiment. Her passion for medicine is deeply rooted in serving Spanish-speaking patients.
鈥淐AMPOS has given me the opportunity to direct my medical training towards this aspiration by providing me with the necessary tools to serve this patient population, even before graduating,鈥� DeFilippis said. 鈥淭he importance of the patient-provider relationship cannot be understated, and CAMPOS has been instrumental in empowering me to offer the clear communication and comprehensive care that we all deserve to my Spanish-speaking patients.鈥�
Since the first class of CAMPOS students graduated in 2008, Alem谩n noted that three-fourths of them still use Spanish in their day-to-day activities with patients, and many have become more involved in their communities.
For these past 20 years, Alem谩n has found great joy in seeing the professional and personal impact CAMPOS has had on students. The bond among the CAMPOS students and faculty creates a special community.
鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 a very personal reward that these students continue to be motivated to do extra work during this very busy time in medical school and continue to extend that vision they had when they enrolled and applied,鈥� Alem谩n said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking forward to being a positive force with these patients. It鈥檚 almost like being a father and seeing your children 鈥� they鈥檙e all great people, and I just did a little extra to help guide you.鈥�
The need for CAMPOS is only growing. Alem谩n pointed out that the Hispanic population is currently the largest minority population. Other medical schools are responding by creating similar programs.
However, over these last 20 years, 黑料网 has led the charge with this innovative initiative. CAMPOS has helped fill the gap by providing bilingual providers across North Carolina. So, what鈥檚 next?
鈥�My hope is that we remain leaders in this across the nation by continuing to improve the program,鈥� Alem谩n said. “As the school grows, my hope is that there will be more and more students who could apply and benefit from this program.鈥�