All professionals, including medical interpreters, have experienced what it’s like being new to their profession. It’s okay to be new.
Posts filed under Newbie
Healthcare Interpreting 101: 3 Phases of the Encounter
Healthcare interpreters with a solid understanding of the 3 phases of an encounter will be well positioned to fulfill their role.
10 Ways Bad Interpreters Bring Google Translate Success
Bad interpreting adds no value to an encounter and brings providers to seek other means of communication – like Google translate.
Interpreters Are Heroes Too!
Interpreters are heroes who make it possible for the medical team to care for patients. This is especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adaptation: Interpreting in a Pandemic
When life gives you a pandemic, you do what you can. This is how I have reacted personally and professionally to a global crisis.
The Parent Perplexity in Pediatric Interpreting
Interpreting for parents instead of patients can be complicated. Here are some tricky situations, and one simple solution!
Nobody Wants to Talk to You
The best interpreters are the ones you might notice the least! This is the intricate balance that interpreters must maintain between personable and professional.
Starting from Scratch? Study!
Are you interested in healthcare interpreting but don’t know where to start? Here is how I “stumbled” into interpreting, and why finding a training program is so important!
What Defines a "Professional Interpreter" in Healthcare?
Working with medical interpreters doesn’t always mean that you will be working with a professional medical interpreter. So, what defines what it means to work with the right medical interpreter?
Do I Really Have to Interpret Everything?
Interpreters are tasked with interpreting all messages said during the encounter. This article takes a look at this professional expectation and the importance behind it. Does it matter? You bet it does!
I Don't Need an Interpreter (Bonus Story)
When the patient or family members are bilingual, it might not be immediately apparent to the medical team if an interpreter is needed or not. As a medical interpreter, you might find yourself in this situation, too, if you are ever in need of medical care. As it turns out, sometimes an interpreter is truly not required.
I Don't Need an Interpreter (Part 3)
Sometimes the interpreter's champion is an unlikely or unexpected person. It's always nice when a member of the medical team understands how important your role is!
I Don't Need an Interpreter (Part 2)
Sometimes family members of the patient don’t want interpreters, especially if they feel prepared to do the interpreting. That perspective can change once they discover that their skill levels don't meet the needs of the encounter.
I Don't Need an Interpreter (Part 1)
Understanding that a medical interpreter is a needed asset in the medical encounter with a language barrier is something that is still up for debate. While we in the profession understand that importance, it's not always clear to the medical staff.
The Truth About Interpreting: A Father's Journey for Peace
Interpreters are only as successful as the people around them. See how non-interpreters helped a man find peace with language services.