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Projects with Promise

Vol. 28 No. 1

The Power of Promotores: Enhancing the Ability of Medical Students to Provide for and Communicate With Underserved Populations

  • Jesse Allen
  • Suzette Jimenez
  • Ricardo Belmares
  • Jose Manuel de la Rosa
  • Nathan A. Holland
  • Jessica Chacon
Submitted
July 25, 2022
Published
2024-04-04

Abstract

To increase community health knowledge, the El Paso Health Education and Awareness Team (EP-HEAT) was established at Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. The Medical Student Run Clinic (MSRC) emphasizes community health care access. Promotores de salud (community health workers) increase health care awareness and connect predominantly underserved communities with resources. Surveys were conducted to determine how EP-HEAT and MSRC patients’ communication with promotores affected their access to health care and communication skills. Surveys demonstrated that 91% of EP-HEAT members agreed that working with promotores improved their communication ability. All MSRC patients surveyed stated interacting with promotores helped improve health care communication in various ways.