I am a soon to be medical student in the southern US and I have been working as a nursing assistant in a hospital for over two years. It is common that I see patients who speak Spanish and I use the hospital interpreter (typically a video chat on an iPad) to communicate. I have always wished that I could naturally communicate with these patients myself because I can only imagine how stressful it is to receive healthcare in a language you don’t speak, and I only feel stronger about this now as I am closer to becoming a physician. But I know nurses and doctors who speak fluent Spanish and still have to use the Spanish interpreter to communicate medically with patients. Essentially, I am wondering if I attempt to learn Spanish and realistically never get beyond basic conversation, how much will that enhance the experience of my patients and the rapport and trust they have in me as a doctor?…