Becoming A Medical Interpreter - A Career Overview

Becoming a medical interpreter is a big decision that can pay off in the long run if you invest in yourself early. A medical interpreter is someone who is trained to translate all communication (written & spoken) between a doctor and their patient. In the United States, a medical interpreter is required when an English speaking doctor has a patient who only speaks Spanish - and vice versa. There are a multitude of other scenarios where their work is necessary, but at the core medical interpreters bridge the communication gap between doctors and patients and ensures that everyone receives the same quality of medical attention, regardless of where you are in the world and what language you speak. But what does it take to become a medical interpreter? What kinds of jobs can you get with with medical interpreter certificate? How will becoming a medical interpreter improve your life? Here's a career overview:

You must meet these requirements before becoming a medical interpreter:

Before becoming a medical interpreter, prospective adults must enroll in a medical interpreter training course. At the end of the day there are hundreds to choose from, and all are not created equal. All of our online interpreter training programs involve LIVE instruction ✅ from expert instructors ✅ who have designed unique and highly engaging online courses ✅ through our one-of-a-kind approach to online learning by using video conferencing technology ✅ for all class sessions. To enroll in our high quality interpreter training programs, all prospective students must meet the following criteria:

Be at least 18 years old
Have a high school diploma or GED
Have fluency and literacy in both English and a target language of choice
Pass a language assessment pre-test to demonstrate language fluency and literacy in both languages
Have high-speed internet connection

Once enrolled in our 7-week, 60 hr medical interpreter training course, students must demonstrate an understanding of core concepts like interpreter ethics, basic understanding of anatomy and physiology, firm grasp on essential interpreter skills and more.

Becoming a medical interpreter may involve advanced medical interpreting:

After successfully completing our training course, many students choose to pursue certification through the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI). This route is not mandatory to become a successful medical interpreter, but it will open more career opportunities as a certified medical interpreter. Should students choose official medical interpreter certification, we offer an accelerated, 5 week medical interpreting course designed to help students prepare for the national medical interpreting exam while covering advanced medical interpreting subjects like:

The endocrine system
HIV/AIDS
Diabetes
Cancer (Oncology)
Radiology
STDs
and so much more

After becoming a medical interpreter, you can start to look for medical interpreting jobs:

Whether you choose to pursue an official medical translator certificate or not, there are many things you can do as a bilingual medical interpreter. One of the clearest paths is to become a remote medical interpreter by offering freelance interpreting services to clients directly. English interpreters and their services are needed everywhere! Putting your online translator certification to good use by offering freelance work isn't necessarily hard, it just takes time. Some medical interpreters find meaningful work by filling administrative roles in hospitals and offering their assistance when needed. Advanced medical interpreting and official medical interpreters license through the NBCMI provides the opportunity for employment as a medical interpreter in an official hospital role or agency.

Our online translator classes are taught by expert instructors ✅ who have real-world experience in their interpreting specialty. They have worked hard to make fully remote online courses that are unique and engaging ✅ and use a hands-on approach that is unparalleled by the competition. If you or someone you know is interested in our online Interpreter Training Programs that feature LIVE video-chat classes✅, all courses are taught in real time ✅ and offered in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Farsi, French, Hindi, Korean, Somali, Urdu, Ukrainian languages online and onsite.