Traditional Medicine in Latin America

Over the last century, the Latino population in the United States has increased dramatically. Like most ethnic groups, Latinos highly value their culture and bring aspects of it with them when they come to the United States. One such aspect of Latino culture is the use of traditional medicine. As the Latino population in the United States continues to grow, it is important that physicians and future physicians understand how the use of and belief in traditional medicine within different Latino populations can affect the healthcare experience for both provider and patient. Many physicians lack this knowledge and therefore are unsure how to proceed when confronted with these situations; in order to remedy this issue, this project seeks to propose and demonstrate a potential course that would be intended to inform pre-medical and pre-health students about traditional medicine in different Latin American countries so that they will be better prepared.
In this 3-credit course, students will gain awareness and understand the importance of Latino traditional medical practices from the perspective of future medical professionals. Students will learn about concepts such as folk illnesses and traditional religious practices within different Latino populations and will discover how these cultural beliefs can affect a patient’s attitude and cooperation in the medical office.
Through study of the traditional medicines of Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Cuba, students will be exposed to new concepts that will allow them to gain a broader understanding of their future patients, which will allow them to provide the best possible care as a physician. Students will reflect on the importance of having respect for a patient’s cultural beliefs in the medical profession, regardless of their knowledge of Spanish, so that they will be best equipped to handle these situations within the United States and abroad.