Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Carina Tu

Examining Language Access Capabilities in Primary Care Practices

Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) often face communication barriers that lead to lower quality care and more frequent medical errors. Our research centers on characterizing and identifying these language interpretation challenges in patients’ everyday efforts to access care and manage chronic health conditions. We aim to understand how primary care practices meet the language needs of diverse communities through bilingual staff, interpreters, and support for patients who speak less common languages. Our work will inform policy changes that will make medicine more accessible.

Message To Sponsor

As a first-generation student, I’ve served as an ad-hoc interpreter my whole life for my parents in emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, and social service agencies. I am so grateful for the opportunity to bridge my lived experiences to academia! Thank you for your generosity and for supporting students like me! I am excited to continue researching, learning, and impacting!