Table 5 Motivation for Taking the Language Course and Influence on Career Trajectory
From: Professional language use by alumni of the Harvard Medical School Medical Language Program
Motivation for Taking the Language Course(s) N = 206, n (%) | |
|---|---|
Desire to use the language in future career | |
Not at all motivated | 4 (2) |
Slightly motivated | 7 (3) |
Moderately motivated | 29 (14) |
Motivated | 48 (23) |
Substantially motivated | 118 (57) |
Desire to use the language in personal life apart from future career | |
Not at all motivated | 15 (7) |
Slightly motivated | 33 (16) |
Moderately motivated | 50 (24) |
Motivated | 47 (23) |
Substantially motivated | 61 (30) |
Desire to learn more about social determinants of health of those who speak the language | |
Not at all motivated | 13 (6) |
Slightly motivated | 33 (16) |
Moderately motivated | 52 (25) |
Motivated | 52 (25) |
Substantially motivated | 56 (27) |
Family/heritage influence | |
Not at all motivated | 108 (52) |
Slightly motivated | 29 (14) |
Moderately motivated | 31 (15) |
Motivated | 14 (7) |
Substantially motivated | 24 (12) |
Helpfulness of the Language Course(s) N = 206, n (%) | |
Oral proficiency of the target language in participants’ medical career | |
Not at all helpful | 6 (3) |
Slightly helpful | 19 (9) |
Moderately helpful | 46 (22) |
Helpful | 59 (29) |
Substantially helpful | 76 (37) |
Oral proficiency of the target language in settings outside of medicine | |
Not at all helpful | 13 (6) |
Slightly helpful | 42 (20) |
Moderately helpful | 52 (25) |
Helpful | 55 (27) |
Substantially helpful | 44 (21) |
Understanding the social determinants of health of those speaking the target language, including patients’ social and cultural contexts | |
Not at all helpful | 14 (7) |
Slightly helpful | 25 (12) |
Moderately helpful | 59 (29) |
Helpful | 59 (29) |
Substantially helpful | 49 (24) |
Influence of Medical Language Courses on Career N = 206, n (%) | |
Not at all influential | 46 (22) |
Slightly influential | 32 (16) |
Moderately influential | 49 (24) |
Influential | 47 (23) |
Substantially influential | 32 (16) |
Influence of Clinical Elective Abroad N = 113, n (%) | |
Cultural Understanding of the Local In-Country Population | |
Not at all improved | 0 (0) |
Slightly improved | 1 (1) |
Moderately improved | 3 (3) |
Improved | 32 (28) |
Substantially improved | 77 (68) |
Oral Language Proficiency | |
Not at all improved | 0 (0) |
Slightly improved | 5 (4) |
Moderately improved | 15 (13) |
Improved | 27 (24) |
Substantially improved | 66 (58) |