For those who have just arrived in Spain, have you ever had this experience? You feel unwell and want to go to the hospital, but you’re faced with a list of incomprehensible department names, worried about choosing the wrong one, wasting time, and not being able to explain your situation clearly. Don’t worry! Today, we’re going to talk about what these hospital departments in Spain do, so you’ll be well-prepared for future doctor’s visits!
Understanding the Spanish Healthcare System
First, it’s important to understand that the Spanish healthcare system is a bit different from what you might be used to back in your home country. For minor aches and pains, you generally don’t go directly to a large hospital. The correct procedure is to first visit your local health center (centro de salud) and see your family doctor (médico de familia or GP). Your GP will make an initial diagnosis and, if they deem it necessary, will give you a referral to see a specialist at a general hospital. This is how you might get treated for things like long-COVID symptoms. Of course, in an emergency, you should go directly to the hospital’s emergency department (Urgencias).
Common Specialist Departments in Hospitals
When you have a referral, or if you go directly to a private hospital, you will encounter various specialist departments. I’ve compiled a list of the most common ones. You can check them against this guide to Spanish hospital departments:
- Pediatría - Pediatrics. A must-know for those with children, this department handles all illnesses for children under 14 or 16.
- Ginecología y Obstetricia - Gynecology and Obstetrics. This is a crucial department. Ginecología deals with women’s health issues, while Obstetricia covers the entire process of pregnancy and childbirth. Prenatal check-ups and delivery are handled here, making it essential to know about these Spanish hospital departments.
- Traumatología - Orthopedics/Traumatology. This is the place for all kinds of fractures, sprains, joint problems, and sports injuries. I once had a fall while skiing and was treated in this department.
- Dermatología - Dermatology. For acne, allergies, eczema, or any other complex skin conditions, this is the department to visit.
- Oftalmología - Ophthalmology. For all eye-related issues, such as nearsightedness, inflammation, or cataracts.
- Otorrinolaringología - Otolaryngology (ENT). The name is a mouthful, so it’s often shortened to Otorrino. It deals with issues concerning the ear, nose, and throat.
Besides these, there are also departments like Cardiology (Cardiología), Gastroenterology (Digestivo), Neurology (Neurología), and more. Generally, the Spanish names for departments are quite similar to their English counterparts, so if you know a bit of English, you can often guess the meaning.
Handy Vocabulary Table
To make it easy for you to save, I’ve created a simple comparison table. You can quickly check it before heading to the hospital:
| English Department | Spanish Name | Common Abbreviation/Alias |
|---|
| Emergency | Urgencias | - |
| General Practice/Family Doctor | Médico de familia | Médico de cabecera |
| Internal Medicine | Medicina Interna | - |
| General Surgery | Cirugía General | - |
| Pediatrics | Pediatría | - |
| Gynecology & Obstetrics | Ginecología y Obstetricia | Gine / Obstetricia |
| Orthopedics | Traumatología | Trau |
| Dermatology | Dermatología | Derma |
| Ophthalmology | Oftalmología | - |
| ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) | Otorrinolaringología | Otorrino |
I hope this summary helps everyone! When living abroad, health is the most important thing. Knowing this basic information will ensure you don’t feel overwhelmed when you need it. Feel free to share the departments you’ve visited and your experiences in the comments below to help others! Wishing everyone good health
!
