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
Standard License Purchased through PremiumBeat by Shutterstock
Licence #3001308

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

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