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Speaking the local language is a benefit to traveling doctors and a key ingredient in the unique flavor of any locum tenens destination. Your ability to navigate regional and ethnic distinctions matters and can influence a patient's willingness to open up, becoming an active participant in diagnosis, treatment and care.
Go with the flow
In America, established preconceptions of faster-speaking northerners and slower-speaking southerners have some demonstrable basis in science. Researchers at the National Center for Biotechnology Information mapped speaking rates in the U.S. and also referenced similarities in other countries and languages. Dutch speakers from the Netherlands, for instance, speak faster than their southern counterparts from Flanders. While the speaking speed of a particular culture or region may have no correlation at all with a patient's ability to intelligently communicate with healthcare professionals, don't let misconceptions on your part put up barriers to care that might otherwise be avoided.
Cultural pacing
The greatest challenges come when attempting to navigate cultural speaking differences. In the U.S., indigenous populations commonly speak at a pace that is likely a bit slower than you're used to. For instance, the Stanford School of Medicine suggests that caregivers slow down their natural pace of speech and emulate the cadence of Alaska Native patients. The beats and pauses of native elders may seem longer when asking what, for you, are routine examination questions. However, rushing to fill what might feel like an awkward pause could appear rude or disrespectful, closing off the patient and creating distance.
Listening to learn
When taking a locum tenens assignment in a new region or culture, spend some time listening to the speed and cadence of local speakers. Get a feel for the difference between a pause for effect and an invitation for interaction. Your patients will definitely appreciate your attentiveness. Equally important, your care will improve if you offer a polite, personally appropriate window of opportunity for your patients (or your employer!) to answer questions.