A medical interpreter? What comes to your mind? Medical interpreters, like court interpreters, are considered as “community interpreters” because they usually work within a local community, serving in both public and private sectors. Last October one of our team members joined a medical interpretation training sponsored by California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA). The focus of the training was palliative care, an area of healthcare that concentrates on alleviate the symptoms and suffering of the patients. The training was truly a great experience, as it emphasized both the professional and human aspects of an interpreter.

Professionalism—Medical Terminology and Quick Reactions

To be able to interpret in the medical field, a solid knowledge in the medical terminology is essential. Because palliative care is often utilizes multidisciplinary approaches, the medical interpreter needs to be equipped with both general and specific medical terms. In addition, to ensure the completeness of information, the interpreter needs to react quickly to the situation. For example, when family members engage in conversations among themselves instead of having a discussion with the medical provider, it is often recommended that the interpreter switches to simultaneous interpretation to convey as much information as possible.

Human Qualities—Composure and Compassion

In the medical interpretation, the interpreters often need to deliver serious messages such as the time the patient has left or an unfavorable prognosis. While the patient and family members may become distressed or emotional over the news, it is vital that the interpreter remain calm and composed in these situations. This can be a very difficult balance to achieve as medical interpreters should embrace compassion and empathy for the patients but at the same time need to maintain their professionalism. However, this aspect also injects humanity into this profession, making it extremely fulfilling.

Interpretation, therefore, is beyond simply converting one language into another. Because human beings are lively creatures who show emotions, human interpreters should take both professionalism and humanity into account to ensure optimal communication.

Monterey Language Services strives to provide the highest quality of translation and interpretation services. Please feel free to contact us for more information.