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In this episode, we have the opportunity to meet and learn from Dr. Alexandra López-Vera. Dr. López-Vera is an Assistant Professor of Medical Education and Director of the Medical Spanish Program at California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM). She also serves as an Instructor and Certified Rater for the Physician Oral Language Observation Matrix (POLOM) at the Center for Clinician Multilingualism and is the Vice-Chair of NAMS (National Association of Medical Spanish). We discuss how Dr. López-Vera's training across Spain, England, Canada, and the United States reshaped her understanding of language access; moving it from an individual skill to a structural, institutional responsibility. She shares her perspective on the role and risks of artificial intelligence in medical interpreting, and why AI cannot replace language-concordant care without deepening a "two-tiered" system for patients who speak Spanish. We also explore how she designs and continually refines the Medical Spanish program at CUSM through student feedback, where she hopes to take the course next, and how medical Spanish scholarship has grown and gained recognition over the course of her career.

If you wish to connect with Dr López-Vera you can connect with her via her website at https://alexandralopezvera.com/

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

Hosted by: Manuel Panzardi
Guests: Dr. Alexandra López-Vera, PhD, MPH, CHES
NAMS Medcast Production Team:

Alexis Spencer, Ana Suarez, Manuel Panzardi, Rafael Ramos, Vera Arenas, Nicole Perez

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 NAMS MedCast, we take a step back from the clinic to explore the science behind language learning itself.

Our guest, Dr. Allison Yakel, holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics from the University of Houston and has more than seven years of experience teaching Spanish at the university level, from foundational conversation to specialized terminology. Having lived and worked in Spanish-speaking countries and completed both her master’s and doctoral degrees entirely in Spanish, Dr. Yakel brings a unique perspective as both a linguist and a second-language learner.

Dr. Yakel shares her perspective on the process of language acquisition, the importance of sociocultural context when learning Spanish, and the differences between heritage speakers and traditional second-language learners. We also discuss her work creating bilingual children’s books, strategies for building sustainable language-learning habits, and practical advice for clinicians and educators developing Medical Spanish curricula.

Whether you are teaching Medical Spanish, learning it yourself, or working to improve language access in healthcare, this conversation offers thoughtful insights into how people truly acquire language—and how that knowledge can help us communicate more effectively with patients.

Hosted by: Manuel Panzardi
Guests: Dr. Allison Yakel
NAMS Medcast Production Team: Alexis Spencer, Ana Suarez, Manuel Panzardi, Rafael Ramos

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

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Equitable healthcare begins with understanding the communities we serve. For immigrant and underserved populations, language access and cultural responsiveness are essential to safe, effective care. For many medical trainees, engaging with these realities early in their careers shapes not only how they practice medicine, but why they chose the profession in the first place.

In this episode, host Manuel Panzardi speaks with Pedro Bonilla, a third-year medical student at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, about his journey into medicine and his deep commitment to community health and health equity across Michigan. Pedro shares how his passion for addressing social determinants of health and expanding access to culturally and linguistically appropriate care has guided his training and advocacy work.

As an active member of the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement (MOLA) and a MOLA–HRF scholar, Pedro discusses his involvement in mentorship, community outreach, and initiatives aimed at supporting Latino medical trainees and reducing disparities in healthcare delivery. The conversation explores how language access impacts patient trust, clinical outcomes, and medical education—and why future physicians must be equipped to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Together, the discussion highlights the importance of early advocacy, representation in medicine, and building healthcare systems that truly reflect and serve the populations they care for.

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

Hosted by: Manuel Panzardi
Guests: Pedro Bonilla, MS3 (Class of 2027)
NAMS Medcast Production Team: Alexis Spencer, Ana Suarez, Manuel Panzardi, Rafael Ramos

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