While not a replacement for studying Spanish (or Medicine for that matter), the book, "!Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition" (Megusta Publishing, $9.95) can be a handy guide as a refresher or a reference to use while treating patients. The book includes the most important Medical Spanish terms as well as phonetic English pronunciations. This pocket-sized guide can be a medical volunteer's best friend!
We here at AmeriSpan would recommend it for a SALUD program participant or volunteer working in a medical field. Even if your program includes medical Spanish vocabulary, this can certainly come in handy and will encompass things that you may not have covered during your weeks of class. The words in the book are organized by medical specialty for easy reference. You can easily find vocabulary relating to areas such as cardiology, pediatrics and general medical terms. Even the most basic vocabulary may help in a pinch: words for a medical exam, body parts, symptoms and common conditions.
This book has been stirring up a lot of talk. Recently, the book has been featured in some worthwhile publications: In February it was featured in the Chicago Tribune. Two months ago, it was mentioned in The Washington Post.
Other editions of he book, including the travel edition, may be helpful for any of our participants. While nothing can replace what you will learn during an immersion program, having a background knowledge of the language and vocabulary you will need can take the pressure off of a beginning student or first time language traveler.