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Access to high-quality care during pregnancy and childbirth shouldn’t depend on the language you speak. Yet for many Spanish-speaking mothers in the U.S., communication barriers can mean delayed care, missed diagnoses, or feeling unseen in critical moments. Understanding and addressing these inequities requires more than translation; it demands a system built on language justice.

In this episode, host Ana Suarez speaks with Dr. Richard Bryce, Program Director for the Henry Ford Family Medicine Residency and Chief Medical Officer at the Community Health and Social Services Center (CHASS) in Detroit, and Dr. Angelina Palacios, a third-year Family Medicine resident at Henry Ford, about their recent study on language access as a maternal health barrier. Together, they explore the real-world implications of limited interpreter support during labor and delivery, the importance of bilingual providers, and the steps needed to make equitable maternal care a reality.

Their conversation delves into the stories shared by Latina mothers and healthcare staff, highlighting how community-driven solutions like improved interpreter availability, compliance tracking, and staff education can bridge gaps in care.

For more information about CHASS and ways to support their work, visit:
www.chasscenter.org

To learn more about NAMS membership benefits, visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources
Student memberships are free!

Hosted by: Ana Suarez
Guests: Dr. Angelina Palacios, Dr. Richard Bryce
NAMS Medcast Production Team: Alexis Spencer, Ana Suarez, Manuel Panzardi, Rafael Ramos

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
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Medical care doesn’t begin or end in academic centers, clinics, or hospitals. Public health organizations—like the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan (NKFM)—play a critical role in building networks of preventive care. These organizations serve as the connective tissue between healthcare institutions and local communities, helping to translate medical knowledge into accessible, actionable practices.

In this episode, we speak with Barbara Garcia-Sauceda, a Program Specialist at NKFM, about the importance of culturally and linguistically competent care in chronic disease education. Our conversation explores the structural barriers faced by Spanish-speaking patients, common misconceptions around nutrition and kidney health, and how staying grounded in the community is essential to effective healthcare delivery.

More information on the best ways to connect with and support the efforts of the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan can be found below:

nkfm.org

www.kidney.org/kidney-quiz/

Instagram: @Kidneymi

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources

Remember that student memberships are free!

Hosted by: Manuel Panzardi

Guests: Barbara Garcia-Sauceda

NAMS Medcast Production Team: Rafael Ramos Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:

Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock, Licence #3001308

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Volunteer organizations like the Mobile Migrant Health Team (MMHT), based out of Chicago, IL, have been on the frontlines of taking care of the recent surge of largely Spanish-speaking migrants to the United States. Working in police precincts, temporary shelters, and free clinics, the work of these volunteer organizations underscores both challenges and urgency of clear and high-quality communication between patients and providers.

In this episode, we sit down with Dayane Padilla, a volunteer with the MMHT and current University of Illinois Chicago graduate student. We had an opportunity to learn how MMHT has transitioned from a small volunteer service helping migrants at police stations to Clínica Nuevas Raíces, an evolving and rapidly growing clinic that continues to take care of migrants as they create roots in the community. Through Dayane’s lived experience, we explore the importance of effective Medical Spanish on MMHT’s mission and impact in the area.

More information on the best ways to connect with and support the efforts of the MMHT can be found below:

• https://linktr.ee/mmhtchicago
• Instagram: @mmhtchicago
• Website: https://www.pilsenfoodpantry.com/mmhtchicago
• MMHT Amazon wishlist : https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3QGCJ7E7E75AH?ref_=wl_share
• GoFund me page: https://gofund.me/1b78a85

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources

Remember that student memberships are free!

Hosted by: Manuel Panzardi

Guests: Dayane Padilla

NAMS Medcast Production Team: Rafael Ramos, Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:

Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock, Licence #3001308

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In this episode of the NAMS Medcast, we sit down with Dr. Reniell Iñiguez, a second-year internal medicine resident at Northwestern and host of the Más Allá del Estetoscopio, a medical Spanish podcast. Dr. Iñiguez shares his journey from community college to residency, the personal experiences that shaped his passion for medical Spanish, and the challenges of launching a podcast while navigating intern year.

We discuss the importance of accurate medical communication, the dangers of false fluency, and how his immersive experiences—like his rotation in Mexico—deepened his fluency in clinical Spanish. Dr. Iñiguez also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at how he crafts his engaging, story-driven podcast episodes and the creative process behind blending medicine with storytelling.

Tune in to hear about his involvement with POLOM, a project dedicated to evaluating medical Spanish proficiency, and how Northwestern’s residency program supports residents who wish to foster Spanish-speaking patient care. Whether you're a student looking to improve your medical Spanish or a resident balancing creative passions with a demanding workload, this episode is packed with insight and inspiration!

Guest Social Media Handles

MADE.podcastmd@gmail.com

Instagram @Made.podcast.md

Tik tok: @md.medical.spanish

Resources: https://www.merckmanuals.com/es-us/professional

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources

Remember that student memberships are free! '

Hosted by: Ana Suarez

Guests: Dr. Reniell Iñiguez

NAMS Medcast Production Team:
Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi, Rafael Ramos

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
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Licence #3001308

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While the teaching of language concordant care is a fundamental area of work in Medical Spanish, novel approaches to Education have to be considered as the field progresses further into the 21st century. This can even include novel areas of work like Virtual Reality (VR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Alyssia Miller De Rutté, Director of Languages for Specific Purposes as well as Assistant Professor of Spanish for Specific Purposes at Colorado State University. She also currently serves as the Vice President of the National Association of Medical Spanish (NAMS).

We had a chance to learn about her research which encompasses a range of topics in Spanish and Applied Linguistics with a focus on health and medicine and the use of VR and AI in teaching, and how many of these research projects related to the mission and goals of NAMS.

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources

Remember that student memberships are free! '

Hosted by: Rafael Ramos

Guests: Dr. Alyssia Miller De Rutté, PhD

NAMS Medcast Production Team:
Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock
Licence #3001308

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This episode of the NAMS MedCast features a conversation with Mara Youdelman of the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). Mara is the Managing Director of Federal Advocacy at NHeLP and a national expert in language access, civil rights protections, and healthcare advocacy, with over two decades of experience. Mara's extensive work includes co-chairing The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights' Health Care Task Force and serving as a founding commissioner for the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI). She will also be the keynote speaker at the MOLA-NAMS conference in late October 2024!

The conversation opens with Mara's journey into health law and her passion for language access and health equity. We discuss how her work aligns with NAMS' mission to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate healthcare for Spanish-speaking patients. The episode also delves into NHeLP's work on language access, specific initiatives like the development of healthcare interpreter certification, and practical steps healthcare students and providers can take to ensure effective communication for patients.

Be sure to check out the links to Mara’s social media, NHeLP resources, and other related materials, and join us for the MOLA-NAMS conference in Chicago!

Links and Resources:

National Health Law Program (NHeLP)
X: @NHeLP_org
Facebook: facebook.com/NHeLProgram
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/national-health-law-program
Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI): www.cchicertification.org

EtoE exam description:
cchicertification.org/certifications/preparing/etoe-description/

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources

Remember that student memberships are free!

Hosted by: Samuel Orenstein
Guest: Mara Youdelman, J.D., L.L.M
NAMS MedCast Production Team:
Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
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The NAMS Student Coalition has worked to create a number of tools and workshops to help students at different stages of their medical education advocate for the development of medical language courses which foster and implement the importance of linguistic and cultural concordant care.

One of these avenues is through the presentation of a dynamic workshop entitled ‘Empowering Students and Physicians to Become Medical Spanish Ambassadors,’ which the NAMS team has presented at a number of medical conferences such as the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) National Conference and the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement (MOLA) Yearly Summit.

In this episode, we have the opportunity to share the audio recording of the Ambassador Workshop hosted by NAMS at the 34th Annual LMSA Midwest 2024 Regional Conference hosted at Case Western Reserve University in February 2024.

This session was hosted by NAMS Student Coalition members Rafael Ramos and Natalie Vela (now MD, Family Medicine PGY-1 at University of Arizona Tucson) and was given to LMSA Student leaders from across the Midwest region.

We sincerely appreciate the support and flexibility provided by the LMSA Midwest 2024 Conference team and the LMSA Midwest 2023-2024 Regional Leadership for the opportunity to engage with students in this capacity and for providing this audio. To connect with the LMSA Midwest Regional leadership, please visit https://midwest.lmsa.net/ or connect with them on social media @lmsamidwest

If you are interested in working with NAMS, or are interested in hosting the ‘Becoming a Medical Spanish Ambassador Workshop’ we’ve presented at LMSA and MOLA conferences, please email studentcoalition@namspanish.org or connect with us on social media @namspanish

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources
Remember that student memberships are free!

Hosted by: Rafael Ramos and Dr. Natalie Vela, MD

NAMS Medcast Production Team:
Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock
Licence #3001308

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The responsibility to provide language concordant care does not fall solely on the shoulders of physicians, as modern healthcare entails the collaboration of many different medical disciplines and professionals with different areas of expertise and training. Pharmacists play a key role in patient communication, medication management, and in maintaining trust, so it is very important that they are also trained to provide their care and specialty in an appropriate manner.

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Robert Mueller, PharmD, BCPS, an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice Concordia University Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, as well as one of the Board members of the National Association of Medical Spanish (NAMS).

We learn about his professional journey and the interweaving of medical Spanish into his chosen career path, as well as a number of his many projects and responsibilities as an Ambulatory Care Pharmacist within a Family Medicine Clinic, his faculty role in teaching a Medical Spanish courses for pharmacy students, and as the founder of the Medical Spanish for Pharmacy Education Connect Community.

If you are interested in connecting with Dr. Mueller or are interested in learning about the Medical Spanish for Pharmacy Education connect Community, please visit

https://www.cuw.edu/academics/schools/pharmacy/faculty.html or linkedin.com/in/robert-mueller-b9a771a0 or contact him directly at Robert.Mueller@cuw.edu

For more information on NAMS membership benefits, please visit https://www.namspanish.org/resources
Remember that student memberships are free! '

Hosted by: Rafael Ramos

Guests: Dr. Robert Mueller, PharmD, BCPS

NAMS Medcast Production Team:
Ana Suarez, Samuel Orenstein, Manuel Panzardi

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock
Licence #3001308