Navigating a doctor’s visit can be daunting, especially with a language barrier. However, for the past three years, Spanish-speaking communities in California have been receiving much-needed health services in their native language.
Since arriving in Salinas, California, five years ago, Alma Rosa Alvarado Cedeño has found solace at Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas. She shared with KCRA 3, “You come afraid that doctors won’t understand you.”
The Federally Qualified Health Center is part of a pilot program designed to address critical language and health disparities among farmworkers and underserved communities. This initiative brings licensed physicians from Mexico to California.
Arnoldo Torres, a political and policy consultant on Latino issues, emphasized the program’s impact. “They are providing remarkable access for people who have rarely seen a doctor due to language and cultural barriers.”
Dr. Eva Perusquía, who has over 30 years of experience in Mexico, has been working as an internist at the Salinas clinic since 2021. She noted, “This program allows us to connect better with people, offering not only improved health services but also preventive care.” She came to California to help address the shortage of physicians.
The need for Spanish-speaking doctors is significant. Dr. Maximiliano Cuevas, CEO of Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas, pointed out, “There is only one physician for every 3,500 people. That’s too many.”
Latinos represent 39% of California’s population but only 6.4% of the state’s physicians. Dr. Perusquía is among 26 health professionals from Mexico working in California under a three-year work visa. Dr. Cuevas explained, “We created this program to recruit Spanish-speaking, bicultural physicians from Mexico City.”
The pilot program is now expanding. After nearly two decades since its inception, it continues to grow. All participating doctors must meet strict standards, including completing a residency in California, being fluent in English, and undergoing vetting by the Medical Board of California. Torres noted that, despite early skepticism about Mexican doctors’ capabilities, board certification indicates a higher standard of care.
The nonprofit Community Health Centers involved in the program are:
AltaMed
Altura Centers for Health
Clínica de Salud del Valle de Salinas
San Benito Health Foundation
In July, recruiters from Mexico visited clinics to plan the expansion into more than a dozen additional clinics and to recruit 95 more doctors. This expansion aims to significantly improve access to health care.
Alvarado Cedeño remarked, “I come here with more confidence because I already know the doctors and trust them since they speak the same language.”
The first group of doctors in the program will be replaced by 2026, with four new clinics opening in northern California. Dr. Cuevas added, “Patients are thrilled. Satisfaction surveys show a 10,000% increase in patient satisfaction.”
