Elizabeth Tolman

Elizabeth Tolman is a Teaching Professor in the Department of Romance Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also serves as the Spanish Advisor for Hispanic Studies majors. Her work focuses on language pedagogy, particularly in healthcare contexts. She holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature (UNC-Chapel Hill, 2000), an MA in Comparative Literature (UNC-Chapel Hill, 1993), and a BA in Spanish and History from The College of William and Mary (1990).

• Education Highlights:
• Ph.D., Comparative Literature, UNC-Chapel Hill (2000)
• MA, Comparative Literature, UNC-Chapel Hill (1993)
• BA, Spanish & History, The College of William and Mary (1990)

Her research emphasizes creating innovative language resources for healthcare professionals. She co-authored and coordinated the development of ¡A su salud! and Salud: Introductory Spanish, multimedia textbooks that integrate film and interactive exercises. These projects, supported by over $1 million in grants, aim to bridge communication gaps between healthcare providers and Spanish-speaking patients.

Elizabeth teaches courses like PUBH 610 (Spanish for health sciences), SPAN 105, and coordinates multiple language courses. Her work reflects a commitment to both academic rigor and practical application in medical education.

She collaborates across disciplines, including Public Health, Nursing, and Social Work, to enhance multilingual healthcare training. Her contributions to language pedagogy have been adopted nationwide.