Hispanic patient population

[trkd]

Which programs have a very large hispanic/spanish-speaking population? I would love to work in an ED where I will be able to speak spanish often and treat a large number of hispanic patients. I will be applying to other places that don't fit this criteria as well, but this is an appealing aspect for me.

I already know Olive View (not really UCLA), El Paso, and USC. Maricopa? I heard something about Connecticut (?), though I would have never guessed it. Any info would be appreciated. Gracias!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[roja]

nyc

 

[positiveaob]

Any big city program in the northeast or southwest. In NYC anywhere, but especially here in the south bronx. My program, Lincoln, has a predominately hispanic population and speaking spanish is a big plus.

 

[Apollyon]

I already know Olive View (not really UCLA), El Paso, and USC. Maricopa? I heard something about Connecticut (?), though I would have never guessed it. Any info would be appreciated. Gracias!

"A lot" is vague, since, when people think "a lot" where they are at, then hit places that are saturated, their idea is changed. I know a woman who says that there are "a lot" of Mexicans in NYC. Umm, no, not at all, especially compared to the Boricuas (Puerto Ricans) and Dominicans.

If you want a LOT of Spanish, NYC is a place away from the border. When I was prelim in NYC, a patient list went just like this, when the chief resident needed a team for a student to go on: "Spanish, Chinese, Spanish, Chinese, Spanish, Chinese, out of her mind" - and, when I say "Spanish" or "Chinese", I mean "does not speak a word of English".

The Dominicans and Boricuas speak a LOT faster than the Mexicans and Central Americans (mostly because of compulsory education in the home country), and the Mexican speech is often suffused with local/Indian/native words that are simply unknown to the interpreters.

My "Mexican connection" was due to my residency in North Carolina, where, apparently, there is the largest Hispanic population that is not any border state (including Florida) or NY (mostly from NYC). When I left NYC, I laughed as I said, "No more Spanish!" - until I got to Duke, and the signs were in English - and Spanish.

 

[GeneralVeers]

About 30% of our patients are Spanish-only speaking (why they don't learn English I don't know). We definitely would love to have more residents who speak Spanish.

 

[trkd]

"A lot" is vague, since, when people think "a lot" where they are at, then hit places that are saturated, their idea is changed.

Good point. I meant "majority". So, more than 50% . Nothing specific. I suppose a third will work.

 

[GeneralVeers]

Good point. I meant "majority". So, more than 50% . Nothing specific. I suppose a third will work.

Ideally most of your patients shouldn't fall into any one category. The best residency experience is obtained when you have a wide variety of patients. That way, when you are finished and begin applying for jobs, you'll have some idea of what patient populations you'll be dealing with when you get out into the real world.

 

[docflanny]

Check out Grand Rapids, MI www.grmerc.net or at www.emramatch.org

Our program is well-established, 30 years, seeing 130K visits a year 30% peds. Great town. Our largest minority population is Hispanic. You will easily see a couple patients or more a shift that speak Spanish, without seeking them out. Fortunately we have 24 hour in-house Spanish translators if you do not speak Spanish. Like you, a big emphasis of where I decided to go to residency was my interest in maintaining my knowledge of Spanish, which you will easily do hear. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[mlw03]

USF in Tampa, FL has a pretty sizeable Spanish-only population. When I did a 1 month clerkship in the ED I dealt with a significant number of such patients and remember wishing on multiple occasions that my Spanish were a bit stronger.

 

[diamondbum]

UC-Irvine has a pretty significant hispanic population. Probably about 50% hispanic, with about half of those Spanish-only. Speaking Spanish came in real handy when I rotated there.

 

[NinerNiner999]

Anyone who knows me knows this is not an ethnically-charged response, but I think that a program likely to have a strong hispanic population (other than the obvious ones near the border) will be in large cities where there is a good deal of construction or urban growth. Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Portland are a few that come to mind. Also, don't discount some of the midwestern programs (Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, etc) as they are likely to have a large migrant population.

Truth be told, the ED is the go-to location for those who may or may not have legal immigration status or insurance, and I would think that any training center in these locations would have a large hispanic population...

 

[trkd]

Ideally most of your patients shouldn't fall into any one category. The best residency experience is obtained when you have a wide variety of patients. That way, when you are finished and begin applying for jobs, you'll have some idea of what patient populations you'll be dealing with when you get out into the real world.

Excellent point. However, in my situation, I have been fortunate enough to experience a multitude of patient populations ranging from primarily whites (rural and suburban), blacks (urban), hispanic (urban), native americans (AZ reservation), aussie whites (rural and Sydney), and aussie aboriginals (urban). These were experienced mostly in different places. At the end of residency, I could easily see my "real world" as being a mid-sized, mostly hispanic area +/- near the border.

However, I definitely see your point as 5 yrs from now I could end up far from where I think I will be. It would be good to be prepared for a broad spectrum. Having said that, I am just curious to know which programs are mostly hispanic to help guide me but not dictate where I will/won't apply. Not all programs I apply to will fall in this category.

 

[GeneralVeers]

Excellent point. However, in my situation, I have been fortunate enough to experience a multitude of patient populations ranging from primarily whites (rural and suburban), blacks (urban), hispanic (urban), native americans (AZ reservation), aussie whites (rural and Sydney), and aussie aboriginals (urban). These were experienced mostly in different places. At the end of residency, I could easily see my "real world" as being a mid-sized, mostly hispanic area +/- near the border.

However, I definitely see your point as 5 yrs from now I could end up far from where I think I will be. It would be good to be prepared for a broad spectrum. Having said that, I am just curious to know which programs are mostly hispanic to help guide me but not dictate where I will/won't apply. Not all programs I apply to will fall in this category.

I understand your rationale. As was stated earlier, any large county facility in the country will pretty well guarantee you a large hispanic population.

 

[Derek]

Just a guess but here in El Paso we are 90-95% Hispanic for visits to our ER.

 

[margaritaboy]

I think we have a couple of Spanish speaking people in Phoenix.

 

[The White Coat Investor]

I was surprised to learn that only about 10% of my patients in Tucson spoke only Spanish. Many more spoke Spanish, but also spoke English.

 

[streetdoc]

Denver had a surprisingly (to me) high rate of spanish-speaking only pts. I'd say 20% based on my time there.

 

[trkd]

I was surprised to learn that only about 10% of my patients in Tucson spoke only Spanish. Many more spoke Spanish, but also spoke English.

I would have thought more than 10%. Interesting.

 

[BKN]

Just a guess but here in El Paso we are 90-95% Hispanic for visits to our ER.

Of which about 50% speak only Spanish.

 

[FlemishGiant]

LAC+USC just read the stats for this piece of paperwork I had to fill out. 66% hispanic. Sometimes I spend my entire day speaking solo espanol, esp in the Peds areas. My Spanish sucks. But its getting better...