Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
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J Racial Ethn Health Disparities · Jun 2016
Medical Students' Experiences and Perspectives on Interpreting for LEP Patients at Two US Medical Schools.
Language concordance between patient and provider has been shown to improve health outcomes for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) patients. However, health care teams often use available ad hoc interpreters without knowing whether their language skills are adequate. Little is known about the role of medical students working as ad hoc interpreters. ⋯ Medical schools and health care institutions should establish guidelines for students who identify as fluent in another language and are interested in interpreting for LEP patients in clinical settings, to protect both students and patients when language poses a barrier to quality care.