Professional Medical Interpreter Training
Let’s highlight the advantages of working with trained medical interpreters in healthcare facilities. Firstly, we need to spot the difference between translation and interpretation: translation is written, while interpretation is oral.
We can give two examples of medical interpreting settings, the first one with an untrained family member working as an interpreter, and the second one with a professional medical interpreter. In the first case, the relative omitted information on the patient’s condition, probably because he did not feel comfortable sharing bad news with his mother. So, in cases like this, the patient cannot take informed and autonomous decisions, because he or she is not aware of what is actually going on.
The second setting examined was the one with a professional interpreter, providing professional work and conveying the whole message accurately. We should be focused, in particular, on the importance of the briefing before starting the session, in order to prepare the interpreter on the information that is going to be shared. The, we can examine different positioning settings. In one setting, the interpreter is next to the doctor, in order to see the patient’s gesture better. The downside is that the patient may think the interpreter is allied with the doctor. In another one, the interpreter is next to the patient, and this can be useful if the patient is hard of hearing, but it can encourage the patient to try to have side conversations with the interpreter. The third setting, the triangle, provides an equal distance between the parties, but can make it difficult for the patient to decide where to look when the doctor or interpreter are speaking. Therefore, the best positioning must be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Last, but not least, there is the trained medical interpreter’s ability to take notes of everything that is said, so that the patient and provider can express themselves with longer chuncks of speech and the conversation is smoother.
To receive professional training as a Medical Interpreter, click on MiTio’s link.
