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Abstract Title Enhancing Medical Education and Patient Care Through a Method of Loci-Based Medical Spanish Learning Platform
Background Language barriers in healthcare, affecting over 41 million Spanish speakers in the U.S., impair patient-provider communication and trust, a problem underscored by studies on healthcare disparities. Traditional language learning methods are time-intensive, limiting adoption by busy medical professionals. Research on the method of loci (MoL) and visual mnemonics demonstrates enhanced vocabulary retention, with a 2022 study showing 20% better retention in language contexts (p < 0.05) and a 2018 study reporting 18% improved recall in paired-associate tasks. This gap in efficient, targeted language tools for providers informs the objective: to determine if a platform using MoL and visual mnemonics accelerates medical Spanish acquisition.
Methods A language learning platform is being developed, integrating interactive imagery and MoL to teach medical Spanish. The platform anchors terminology using spatial memory techniques. A pilot study is designed with 50 novice Spanish-speaking medical providers, split into two groups: one using the MoL platform, the other a conventional app. Participants will train for 10 hours over 4 weeks, with pre- and post-tests measuring vocabulary retention and conversational fluency for 200 medical terms.
Results A 2022 study on MoL in English as a foreign language contexts showed 20% better vocabulary retention in immediate post-tests compared to rehearsal methods (p < 0.05). A 2018 study on paired-associate learning found MoL users recalled 18% more words than controls, indicating potential for medical Spanish acquisition. These findings provide evidence of the platform’s potential to enhance retention and engagement, enabling faster mastery of medical terminology in a foreign language.
Conclusion The platform, utilizing visual mnemonics and MoL, has the potential to accelerate medical Spanish acquisition, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional methods. By enabling providers to communicate in patients’ native languages, it can enhance trust, reduce miscommunication, and improve health outcomes. Future expansion to other languages could address broader language barriers, promoting equitable care across diverse populations.
