Specialization courses for medical translators and interpreters

Medical translators and interpreters are needed both in clinical and business environments. They are normally required to possess a degree in translation or foreign languages with a specialization in medical subjects, but there are also bilingual physicians or medical assistants who work as translators or interpreters in the medical field.

While some countries don’t have set education requirements for hospital interpreters, others do. For example, in the United States you can certify with the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (CMI) to gain access to working opportunities as an interpreter in this field.

Medical interpreters usually work at:

Dental offices
Home health care agencies
Hospitals
Imaging centers
Mental health facilities
Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
Physician offices and group practices
Surgical centers

Translators who work on medical subjects often specialize in a specific field (e.g. Pharmaceutical Investigation, Medical Devices, Medical Publishing/Writing, Healthcare, etc.) and may be responsible for the translation of:

Applications
Clinical trial documentation
Instructions for the use of medical equipment
Pharmacological instructions
Physicians‘ diagnoses
Reports
Written patient information

Apart from the necessary linguistic training, a thorough understanding of specific medical terminology is indispensable.

In some countries, there are explicit processes to become a medical translator and/or interpreter. In the United States for example you can certify with the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters. In Europe, some universities offer medical specializations during your graduate studies or entire Master’s or other long-term programs in this area. Here in Europe, a few examples are as follows:

Máster Universitario en Traducción Médico-Sanitaria, Universitat Jaume I
Máster Online en Comunicación Científica, Médica y Ambiental, Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Attestation d’Études Universitaires „Anglais médical“, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1

Bridging the Gap offers a 40-hour introductory course at several sites in the US and some international locations, and is organized by The Cross Cultural Health Care Program.

Associations such as IMIA, Tremédica or EMWA also provide information on official and continued education training.

If there is no official way to get certified where you live, or you are already certified but want to go on training yourself in your specialization, you might be interested in the following options you can access online and free of charge:

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