A Medical Arabic Course for Healthcare Professionals

Abstract

Arabic is the sixth most spoken language in the U.S., with over 1.4 million speakers nationwide. Despite the significant population, Arabic-specific linguistic training for healthcare providers is limited. A novel Medical Arabic course was instituted to equip healthcare professionals with fundamental Arabic language skills to improve provider-patient relationships. A synchronized online course was delivered via Zoom over two semesters for three consecutive years. The course combines instructor-led lectures, interactive breakout-rooms, and role-play exercises. A post-course survey was conducted to evaluate the program’s effectiveness in improving participants’ Arabic language skills and confidence in engaging with Arabic-speaking patients. 117 participants completed Medical Arabic workshop I (MA-I) over the course of three semesters and 47 participants completed MA-II over the course of two semesters. Among 32 survey participants, 28% (n = 9) were graduate students in healthcare fields—including 19% (n = 6) medical students. 59% (n = 19) of respondents reported interacting with Arabic-speaking patients at least a few times a month. After completing the course, most participants felt “extremely or somewhat comfortable” using Arabic in medical context, including asking about medical history (81%, n = 26), communicating in a medical setting (78%, n = 25), recognizing medical Arabic terms (81%, n = 26), explaining basic diagnoses in Arabic (66%, n = 21), and giving physical exam instructions (56%, n = 18). Medical Arabic enhances healthcare providers’ comfort and confidence in using Arabic with patients, contributing to stronger communication and improved care for Arabic-speaking patients. By building language proficiency, this course helps address critical gaps in provider preparedness, ultimately promoting more equitable, patient-centered care.