Spanish Academy
Spanish Academy
Get To Know
Us
Language is connection.
At Spanish Academy HND, we empower healthcare providers and learners communicate with confidence in Spanish — in a real-life, clear, and human way.
Our focus is simple: practical Spanish that works in real-life situations, whether in clinics or everyday environments. We care about helping people connect, understand each other, and build trust.
Our Founding Team
Led by a multidisciplinary founding team with over eight years of experience in bilingual (English–Spanish) medical and social interpretation, our academy empowers healthcare professionals and individuals to communicate with confidence across clinical and everyday interactions.
Physician leading the academy’s vision and curriculum, with over eight years of experience in bilingual (English–Spanish) medical and social interpretation.
Dr. Francis Alemán, MD
Executive Director & Lead Instructor
francis@spanishacademyhnd.com
Associate Director & Instructor
Dorian Lagos
Sociologist and psychologist (candidate) specializing in cross-cultural communication, with over nine years of experience in bilingual medical and social interpretation.
dorian@spanishacademyhnd.com
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Carolina Blancaneaux, RD
Assistant Director & Instructor
Registered Dietitian contributing expertise in health education and culturally responsive communication, with over nine years of experience in bilingual medical and social interpretation.
carolina@spanishacademyhnd.com
Real stories. real transformation.
Hear from healthcare professionals and learners who have experienced the impact of our program.
"I recently completed a Medical Spanish course, and I can honestly say it was an incredibly valuable experience. Dr. Francis and her team of tutors were outstanding—knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely invested in our growth. What stood out the most was how much more comfortable I now feel navigating a full Spanish patient encounter. The course wasn’t just about memorizing phrases—it was about building confidence and real-world communication skills that I can immediately apply in clinical practice. The one-on-one sessions were especially impactful. They provided personalized feedback, allowed me to practice in a low-pressure setting, and really helped solidify my understanding. I’m truly grateful to Dr. Francis and her tutors for creating such a supportive and effective learning environment. Highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their medical Spanish in a meaningful way."
Dr. BEN KACHOUEI, MD, Family Physician
Testimonies
"Wow! Are the first words that come to mind after completing my first month of classes. I cannot say enough good things about this course. I have tried to learn Spanish in the past and I just can’t get it. The way this class is structured is amazing. You can tell that a lot of time and dedication was put into creating this course. It different than a “school” course of Spanish. It was fun and I learned a lot. Now a little about the courses. Each class was broken down in modules and we met on Zoom. Now we all know that zoom calls can be boring… NOT this everyday Spanish course. The course was designed to be fun and interactive. You are taught phrases you use in everyday life. Once you learn the phrases you can add a verb and can create any sentence you want. I learned this within a month. The way it’s taught is fantastic and allows my English-speaking brain to think in Spanish."
LEAH WAKEFIELD
"As a resident physician, I had the opportunity to take this Medical Spanish course, which was well tailored to healthcare professionals. The instructors were medical professionals themselves, making the content highly relevant to real clinical encounters and focused language used in patient care. The intentional use of repetition helped reinforce key vocabulary and phrases, supporting long-term retention. Overall, this was a valuable experience that significantly improved my comfort and confidence when communicating with Spanish-speaking patients. Above all, the instructors were very friendly and supportive of my learning. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to build trust and improve communication with Spanish-speaking patients"
Dr. Tatevik Takhmazyan, Md, Family Physician
"I can't recommend this course enough. The amount of effort, structure and precision that went into creating it is truly phenomenal. I started with only a few words in Spanish, and within just a few sessiones, I was able to hold a full medical conversation with confidence. The course is incredibly well-designed, practical and focused on real clinical scenarios, which made a huge difference in how quickly I was able to apply what I learned in practice. Every instructor is highly skilled, supportive and very passionate about teaching. This has been one of the most valuable learning experiences in my training, and it has already changed the way I connect with my patients."
Dr. FOUZHAN PENJAMIN, mD, Family physician
"I had quite a bit of fun taking classes through the Medical Spanish Academy and appreciated the one-on-one opportunity to learn Spanish with each of the instructors. Each instructor made the learning process enjoyable and catered lessons based on my Spanish knowledge. We covered relevant important topics such as how to obtain proper medical history/symptoms, and how to deliver bad news with empathy. I am excited about applying these Spanish skills that I learned during an upcoming medical brigade trip to Honduras."
Dr. Kimi Tsuchiya, md, internal medicine Physician