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Recorded live at the 2025 NAMS–MOLA Conference in San Antonio, this special episode of the NAMS Podcast features a candid, engaging conversation about language, learning, and thriving as a multilingual clinician. Host Dr. Pilar Ortega is joined by Dr. Bright Zhou, Dr. Glenn Martínez, and Dr. Reniell Iñiguez to share personal stories from clinical care and medical education, explore the tensions and moral injury that can arise in multilingual spaces, and discuss practical ways individuals and institutions can better support clinicians and learners with varied language skills. With audience interaction and moments of translanguaging, this live episode highlights the power of language as both a responsibility and a strength in medicine.

For more information about the 2026 NAMS conference please visit https://www.namspanish.org/nams-2026

Más allá de las palabras: Language Advocacy in Health Care

To follow and connect with Dr. Bright Zhou follow @genzattending on Tiktok and Instagram.

To follow and connect with Dr. Reniell Iñiguez follow @made.podcast.md instagram and find the Más Allá del Estetoscopio (MADE) podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/3TFM35GfYEblSRI57cQhJW

To follow and connect with Dr. Pilar Ortega follow @pilarortegamd on Instagram and LinkedIn, and visit www.multilingualhealth.com

Relevant literature discussed

Zhou B, Louie AK. Beyond Humility: Empowering Minoritized Learners Through Culturally Reflective Medicine. Acad Med. 2022 Sep 1;97(9):1299-1304. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000004744. Epub 2022 May 17. PMID: 35583951.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35583951/

Ortega P, Prada J. Words matter: Translanguaging in medical communication skills training. Perspect Med Educ. 2020 Aug;9(4):251-255. doi: 10.1007/s40037-020-00595-z. PMID: 32430877; PMCID: PMC7458954.

Full text open access link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7458954/

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

Hosted by: Pilar Ortega, MD, MGM
Guests: Glenn Martinez, PhD, MPH, Reniell Iñiguez, MD, Bright Zhou, MD

NAMS Medcast Production Team: Rafael Ramos, Vera Arenas, Nicole Pérez, Alexis Spencer, Ana Suárez,

Intro and Outro Music:
Bossa Samba Ballad by Studio Le Bus
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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
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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
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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
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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
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by Shutterstock, Licence #300130

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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
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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
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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
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by shutterstock
Licence #3001308