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Everything Is Not an “Aparato”: More Terminology for Interpreters
After my last terminology post, I asked the interpreters in my Language Services Department what other terminology could make for a good read. One of them wrote to me, What do you think about medical...
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Desesperarse vs Desperate
This latest post comes from a Mexican colleague, Carlos, who’s been a Spanish medical interpreter longer than I have. Before that, he graduated with his degree in industrial chemical engineering....
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Certificates and Certifications: Stop the Madness
The misunderstandings surrounding certification for interpreters reached a fever pitch in my world this week. The whole cloud of confusion surrounding translation and interpretation is nothing compared...
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Join me for two CEU-approved workshops!
Join me this fall in Louisville, KY for two CEU-approved workshops for trained healthcare interpreters! The South Eastern Medical Interpreters Association will host two 90-minute workshops at the...
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Under the Headset: The Joy of Working in Pajama Pants
This month’s post comes from a fellow healthcare interpreter, Anna Stieg, an Ohio-based interpreter who shares her experience of moving from onsite work to telephonic work. She’s got some fun...
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Preparing for national certification!
I finished my CCHI certification in 2012, and now I’m getting ready to run a series of informal written test prep workshops for the interpreters in my department, so I’m going to share here my plan to...
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Testing, Testing…
The interpreters in my department are scheduled to take their written exam for national certification next week, and over the last several weeks I’ve been holding test prep sessions for them. (You can...
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2015 Events for Healthcare Interpreters
Do you have 40 hours of formal training for medical interpreters? If not, why not make 2015 the year to do it? Many hospitals (including the one where I work) require that anyone serving as an...
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From Beginning to End: The Interpreted Medical Visit
For the first time in months, I took an assignment for a medical interpreting job. While my language skills are just fine for this setting, I was reminded how difficult this work really is and how...
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The New Girl: Practical Tips for Starting Out
For February, I thought about doing some cheesy “Why I Heart Interpreting” post (and I really do heart interpreting, and I do love writing cheesiness), but I thought a post about getting started as an...
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Oral Exam Prep for Interpreters
Last month the Language Services crew at the academic health center where I work started prep for CCHI’s oral exam, which they’re planning to take at the end of July. We started by prepping for the...
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Remote Interpreters Need Love Too
Managing the switch from on-site to remote interpreter services: Lessons learned from the hospital. What do you think about telephonic interpreter services? Video remote interpreter services? Yeah, I...
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Certifying Bodies and Professional Organizations for Healthcare Interpreters
Certifying bodies and professional organizations! It’s not always clear who does what, so here’s a quick run-down of national certifying bodies and professional organizations: National Board for...
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Defining and Evaluating Bilingual Hospital Staff and Interpreters
Back when I was supervising my Language Services department, one of my responsibilities was overseeing our bilingual staff and interpreter approval program. Honestly? It wasn’t ever anything I wanted...
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New Year’s Resolutions for Healthcare Interpreters
Just starting out? In a rut? Wondering how to up your game as a healthcare interpreter in 2016? Here are some ideas to get you started! Learn about certifying bodies for healthcare interpreters: In...
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Feedback: Going Beyond “That Was Great”
Interpreting practice and feedback are important. One of my grad school professors wrote an article about peer assessment that inspired me to write about my own experience. Practice with a partner or...
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Note taking for Healthcare Interpreters
I’ve taught note taking for healthcare interpreters to many people, and over the years I’ve developed my own system that for me is quite effective. With note taking, the provider or patient can speak...
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The Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters, the Job Task...
We all know the benefits of certification. Some of us have already passed our exams, or are preparing for them. But did you ever wonder where those exams come from? How do they know what to include...
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Five Things Your Interpreter Wishes You Knew
Curious about what interpreters do? Wondering how to best work with interpreters? Here are some common misconceptions surrounding interpreters, and some helpful points to know about working with...
View ArticleThe Tenth Standard of Practice: Don’t Be Alone With the Patient
Just kidding. There is no tenth standard of practice, and there is no standard that explicitly states, “Don’t be alone with the patient.” But the way interpreters and interpreter trainers talk, you’d...
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