Presented By: Sherlie Vázquez-Colón, Ponce Health Sciences University

Purpose
Medical students seek to achieve the goal of a meaningful bilingual medical education, establishing their careers abroad, and being classified as non-resident students. This research aims to explore the factors motivating the newly enrolled non-resident students to pursue their studies in a bilingual medical school. In addition, it aims to understand their choice of a curriculum that exposes them to Hispanic communities and the challenges they may face with Spanish since this is not their primary language, yet they must have a basic knowledge to be admitted.

Method
A qualitative research approach was employed, utilizing a focus group to gather in-depth insights from non-resident students enrolled in a medical program and explore students' motivations for choosing a bilingual university. Additionally, it examined their experiences in bilingual classes, the curriculum activities such as on-site practices in the community, and overall motivation since the non-resident students' new enrollments have remained at 20% yearly for the last four years.

Results
The findings revealed that motivating factors for non-resident students' decisions to attend a bilingual medical school included access to instruction in both English and Spanish. This allowed them to maintain their academic progress while adapting to a second language and a new culture. They also gained cultural sensitivity and understanding in a supportive and culturally inclusive learning environment among Hispanic communities.

Conclusion
The study findings suggested that a medical program in a bilingual university offers the advantages of personal enrichment and cultural exposure, as well as specialized training in medical Spanish, including medical terminology and cultural nuances in healthcare. This makes it attractive for those seeking a high-quality medical education while navigating a new language and culture. At the same time, bilingual classes provided a unique opportunity to develop language proficiency and cross-cultural communication skills in healthcare best practices.