A student pharmacist’s journey to health literacy
Caitlyn Lucore is a second-year PharmD candidate at the University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy and the 2024–2025 APhA–ASP International Standing Committee student exchange officer-elect.
Having been born and raised in El Paso, TX—a border town nestled on the cusp of Mexico and the United States—I grew up in a vibrant, bilingual community where for many families, Spanish is often the primary language. Having returned to my hometown for pharmacy school, my perspective on health care has continued to be shaped by the El Paso community. Witnessing firsthand the challenges faced by Spanish-speaking patients in navigating the health care system has continuously reinforced my principles of ensuring health literacy and improving the outcomes of our patients.
I currently work in a community pharmacy setting with a large Spanish-speaking population, and when beginning at the University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy, I did not anticipate learning how to communicate with these patients in an effective way to be the hardest challenge I faced.
Bridging language gaps
To address these issues, my pharmacy school has integrated required pharmacy Spanish courses into our curriculum, which include mock counseling sessions in Spanish. These courses have been invaluable in preparing me to interact effectively with Spanish-speaking patients. It has been extremely rewarding to know that I am able to conduct a basic counseling session or explain to a patient the instructions on their prescription label in the language of their preference.
One of the most impactful ways that I have been able to support my Spanish-speaking patients is by ensuring that their prescription labels are accurately translated into their preferred language. I have learned how crucial it is to ensure that labels are not only translated correctly but are also culturally appropriate and easily understood. For instance, a patient who is primarily English-speaking might read the instruction “take once per day” as one time per day, while a Spanish-speaking patient may interpret “once” as 11 times per day.
However, this principle does not only apply to patients whose preferred language is not English. I have witnessed that when prescriptions are labeled in a manner that eliminates any uncertainty for any patient, it has a monumental impact on patients’ understanding of their medications, leading to better health outcomes and disease state management.
The power to make a difference
My lifelong journey in El Paso has proven to be a catalyst for both personal growth and professional development. It has instilled in me a deep commitment to health literacy and cultural competency. By sharing my experiences, I hope to inspire fellow student pharmacists to recognize the importance of health literacy, and to actively work toward a more inclusive and effective health care system for all, despite the literacy level or native language of each patient.
As student pharmacists and health care providers, we have the power to make a difference, and it starts with understanding and addressing the unique needs of our diverse communities.