Going to the doctor can be unsettling, especially when there's a language barrier. But for the past three years, several California communities have been receiving medical services in Spanish. Five years after arriving in Salinas, California, Alma Rosa Alvarado Cedeño says she finds comfort and security at Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas. “I come here worried that the doctor won't understand me,” Alvarado Cedeño told KCRA 3. The Federally Qualified Health Center is part of a pilot program that brings licensed doctors from Mexico to California to fill critical language and health gaps among farmworkers and underserved communities. “While they're here, it's creating incredible access for people who never or rarely see a doctor because of language and cultural differences,” said Arnoldo Torres, a political and policy consultant on Latino issues. Dr. Eva Perusquía, who has provided medical services in Mexico for more than 30 years, has been working as an internal medicine physician at the Salinas Clinic since 1990. “This gives us the opportunity to have a better approach with the people, to have better medical services, but also to develop preventative measures in health,” said Perusquía, who came to California in the midst of a doctor shortage in 2021. And when it comes to Spanish-speaking doctors, the challenge is even greater. “For a population of 3,500, there is only one doctor. That's too many,” said Dr. Maximiliano Cuevas, CEO of Hospital Valle Salinas. Latinos make up 39% of California's population but only 6.4% of its doctors. Dr. Perusquía is one of 26 medical professionals from Mexico working in California on a three-year work visa. “We developed a program to recruit Spanish-speaking, culturally diverse physicians, and we found the talent in Mexico City to make that possible,” Dr. Cuevas explained. And the pilot program is expanding. The expansion of the pilot program comes almost 20 years after it was approved, but today, all physicians must meet strict standards, including completing their residency at a medical school or hospital in California, being fluent in English, and being reviewed by the California Medical Board. “So being board certified means you've spent more time studying your profession and your particular specialty, and therefore you can provide a higher level of care,” Torres said, adding: In the early 2000s, there was a lot of skepticism about the competence of Mexican physicians. The participating nonprofit community health centers are AltaMed, Altura Centers for Health, Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, and San Benito Health Foundation. In July, a delegation of Mexican recruiters visited the clinics where the doctors work, with plans to expand to 12 more clinics and hire 95 additional doctors. The result is a dramatic increase in access to care. “I come here with more confidence because I already know the doctors. I trust them more because we speak the same language,” Alvarado Cedeño said. The program's first doctors are expected to rotate out by 2026. Four of the new clinics where they will be located are in Northern California. “Patients love it. When we do satisfaction surveys, patients are 10,000 percent satisfied,” Dr. Cuevas said. Read more of California's top stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
A doctor's visit can be intimidating, especially when there's a language barrier.
But for the past three years, some California communities have been receiving health care services in Spanish.
Five years after Alma Rosa Alvarado Cedeño arrived in Salinas, California, she said she found comfort and security at Clinic de Salud del Valle de Salinas.
“I'm starting to worry that doctors won't understand,” Alvarado Cedeño told KCRA 3.
The Federally Qualified Medical Center is part of a pilot program that sends credentialed physicians from Mexico to California to close critical language and health gaps among farmworkers and disadvantaged communities.
“They provide incredible access for people who have never seen a doctor while they're here, or rarely see a doctor because of language or cultural differences,” said Arnoldo Torres, a political policy consultant on Latino issues.
With more than 30 years of medical services in Mexico, Dr. Eva Perusquia has been working as an internal medicine physician at the Salinas Clinic since 2021.
“This gives us an opportunity to not only reach people better and get them better medical care, but also develop preventative strategies in health,” said Peruschia, who came to California in the midst of a doctor shortage.
For Spanish-speaking physicians, the challenge is even greater.
“We only have one doctor for every 3,500 people. This is too many,” said Dr. Maximiliano Cuevas, CEO of Salinas Valle Salinas Hospital.
Latinos make up 39% of California's population but make up just 6.4% of physicians.
Dr. Perusquia is one of 26 medical professionals from Mexico working in California on three-year work visas.
“We developed a program to recruit Spanish-speaking, bicultural physicians, and we found the people to do it in Mexico City,” Dr. Cuevas explained.
And the pilot program is expanding.
The expansion of the pilot program comes nearly two decades after it was approved, and all doctors must now meet strict standards, including completing their training at a California medical school or hospital, being fluent in English and being vetted by the California Medical Board.
“So getting a specialist license means you have more time to study your profession or your area of expertise and you can provide a higher standard of care,” Torres said, adding that in the early 2000s there was a lot of skepticism about the competence of Mexican doctors.
Participating nonprofit community health centers are:
In July, a delegation of recruiters from Mexico visited the clinics where the doctors work and made plans to expand to more than a dozen clinics and recruit an additional 95 doctors.
As a result, access to medical care has improved dramatically.
“I come here with more confidence because I already know the doctors. I trust them more because we speak the same language,” Alvarado Cedeño said.
The program's first doctors are expected to be replaced by 2026.
Four of the new clinics where they will be located are in Northern California.
“Patients love it. When we do satisfaction surveys, patient satisfaction is 10,000 percent,” Dr. Cuevas said.
For more California top news, click here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter
