1. Aren’t translators and interpreters the same?

This is a very, very common misconception. Outside of the language service provider sphere, “translator” and “interpreter” can be used interchangeably in most discussions. Such as: “We’ll need a translator at the board meeting” versus “We’ll need an interpreter at the board meeting.”

But just what is the difference between those terms? Simply enough, both “translator” and “interpreter” refer to someone who conveys information from one language to another; more specifically, a “translator” works with written words, while an “interpreter” works with spoken words. Some people are only translators, some are only interpreters, and others are both.

2. Can’t any bilingual person be a translator/interpreter?

A very common misconception (in the workplace especially) is “Billy is bilingual, so he can handle this project and translate/interpret for us.” Just because a person is bilingual (or trilingual or more, even), does not mean that they have the training required to be a proper translator or interpreter.

Imagine that “Billy” speaks Spanish at home, but grew up going to school where the primary language of instruction was English. While there’s a chance he can talk about any subject at home with his family members, a likely scenario is that he will know more about biology in English terms rather than Spanish terms. Unless the conversation were very simple, such as general conversation for travel or something similar, it would be very difficult for Billy to translate or interpret something.

Translators and interpreters go through rigorous training for their respective crafts, and have expanded their vocabularies enough to compensate. Proper translators and interpreters have high-level certifications as well.

3. I know a translator/interpreter who did Assignment X, why can’t they do Assignment Y?

In the language services industry, some translators and interpreters can fall under the category of “subject matter experts.” These people have trained to not just be general translators or interpreters, but have polished their skills to cater to certain types of work.

Take “Billy” from above, for example. Imagine he’s become passionate for being an interpreter, and his other interest in biology spurs him to an interest in medical interpretation. After enough study, focus, and—of course—certification, he becomes a proper medical interpreter and specializes in speaking between doctors and patients about surgeries. He might be able to do general interpretation as well, but because of his deep specialty, he might have trouble if he suddenly needed to interpret for, say, a lawyer discussing a lawsuit.

Just like how doctors and lawyers require separate studies, medical interpreters and legal interpreters also require focused study in their area of expertise. They may have skills that overlap, but generally, it’s best to rely on separate translators/interpreters who are subject matter experts rather than the same one for every single job.

4. Wouldn’t machine translation work well enough?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Machine translation can certainly help a translator do their work. Computer-assisted translation tools (called CAT tools in the industry) can keep a handy glossary of terms for the translator, and have the memory to provide reference for older, similar translations.

But if we rely only on machine translation, any number of problems can happen. Machines think very differently than humans and might misinterpret context, homonyms, word register, and so on. Computers may be able to perform complex mathematical calculations, but the human brain is hardwired for language. Put simply, a translation from a human is going to sound a lot more natural—and have fewer mistakes—than a simple machine translation.

5. Why does a translation need proofreading? Shouldn’t the translator be enough for that?

Speaking of “mistakes,” mistakes happen. To err is human, after all. Translators need proofreaders for the same reason that a journalist, book writer, or a lawyer needs one. Mistakes concerning facts, grammar, spelling, etc. can easily be made by any sort of writer, and the same goes for a translator.

Having a second pair of eyes does wonders for any written work. A proofreader for a translation can catch errors in spelling, word register, a forgotten period or comma—anything that might have slipped through the cracks. If you want a translation to be as polished as possible, having a proofreader is essential.

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:         Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation
831-655-3460 (Office)

Translation Services Launches 40-hour Minimum Training
Required in the Healthcare Interpreting Industry

MONTEREY, Calif. (11/19, 2014) – Monterey Language Services (MLS), an independent translation and interpretation company in the Monterey area, announced its new intensive 5 day, 40 hour training course in medical interpreting. The course will take place the week of 6/1 – 6/5, 2015 and is available to online participants, regardless of location.

The Monterey and neighboring Salinas areas are home to many who do not speak English as their first language—or do not speak English at all. The importance of skilled interpreters in providing healthcare services for these residents has become increasingly evident, and the local medical interpretation industry presents a highly attractive job market for area bilinguals.

However, with increasing regulation in the healthcare interpretation field, just because you are bilingual does not mean you are qualified to interpret at a hospital or clinic. The era of family member “interpreters” is over.  “Just being bilingual, it’s not enough.  But if you have a certificate from Monterey Language Services, it’s good,” said Victor Sosa, the head of the Language Access at Natividad Medical Center, during his presentation at the workshop.

“Today, industry standards require medical interpreters to show proof of 40 hour training, successful assessment, and qualification,” said Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation at Monterey Language Services, who is also a Monterey Institute of International Studies trained interpreter.

MLS’s 40 hour course will provide the required minimum training and aims to help participants advance toward national certification. Training will be conducted by experienced medical interpreters and trainers. Upon successfully completing the course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance. Those who pass the exit exam will also receive a certificate of competency in medical interpreting from Monterey Language Services.

When the course was first announced to the participants of MLS’s successful community service workshop, including two attending online, they expressed great interest in the inner workings of the medical interpretation field and were eager for a more in-depth look.

“I was wondering if they (medical interpreters) start out as many of us, interpreting for family and friends, or if they have jobs where the employer saw a need to better train the janitor, for example, so he could fill two roles,” said one participant, “as was the case with my father in 1969.”

The course will next take place 6/1/2015 – 6/5/2015, cost: $800 onsite, $750 online. The flyer and registration form can be downloaded at our blog, www.montereylanguages.com/blog/.  For more information, please call 831 655 3460.

More press related to our 40 hour training:

• 40 Hour Training: Medical Interpreting as a Profession
• Medical Interpreter training announced in the Californian
• Monterey Language Services Trains Bilinguals for Jobs
• Workshop: Medical Interpreting as a Profession
• Bilingual Evaluation

Registration Form (Click to Download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

Frequently Asked Questions about our
40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

1. What is the cost of the 40 hour training?
2. For the certification process, is the exam required?
3. Can you take the exam without the training?
4. If you take the exit exam and pass, what are the benefits?
5. Regarding national certification, how much does it cost? How does it work–sign up online; how far out are the appointments; where is the exam administered? What is the time frame to receive results and be ready for employment?
6. Is this training and preparation truly required to work as an interpreter?
7. The leading motivator to pursue the training and certification will be income opportunity. What can you tell me about the income opportunities in this area for those who attend?
8. What is the style of your training?
9. What is the feedback from past workshops?
10. What are the new laws in California requiring medical professionals to provide an interpreter for non-English speaking patients?

Question 1

What is the cost of the 40 hour training?

Answer:  The fees for training, including the exit exam, are $750 for online participants and $800 for in-person participants.
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Question 2

For the certification process described in the workshop flyer: exam required or not?

Answer: Upon finishing the course, you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion.  This also serves as the minimum requirement for you to take the national certification.

Our training also comes with an exit exam, its fees are included in the training.  If you take the exam and pass, you receive a Certificate of Competency.

If you decide not to take the exam, it is okay.
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Question 3

Can you take the exam without the training? If so, what is the cost?

Answer:  If you do not take the training, you may still take the exam, but there will be a fee of $150.
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Question 4

If you take the exit exam and pass, what are the benefits?

Answer:

• Certificate of Competency endorses that you meet industry standards, which mean that you are delivering quality service to your patient.
• You will have a higher chance of being hired as a medical interpreter by Monterey Language Services and elsewhere.
• It also signifies that you are ready to take the national certification.

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Question 5

Regarding the national certification, how much does it cost? How does it work—sign up online; how far out are the appointments; where is the exam administered? What is the time frame to receive results and be ready for employment?

Answer: To take the national certification exam, there is a requirement of a minimum of 40 hours training—which you receive at Monterey Language Services. Our training meets national standards. To answer the other questions, please visit The National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters @ http://www.certifiedmedicalinterpreters.org/getcertified  OR Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters @ http://www.cchicertification.org/ . Either agency can get you nationally certified.
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Question 6

Is this training and preparation truly required to work as an interpreter?

Answer:  Would you risk the life of your patient without having proper training?  One example of the dangers involved in interpreting without appropriate training is the following unfortunate true story: When an untrained person served as a medical interpreter to a pregnant woman who only spoke Spanish, the woman was prescribed an abortion-inducing drug instead of the prenatal care she was expecting. She lost her baby.

In the Joint Commission’s New & Revised Standards and EPs for Patient-Centered Communication, it says “Qualifications for language interpreters and translators may be met through language proficiency assessment, education, training, and experience.”

Monterey Language Services’ interpreter training conforms to the above and follows the rigorous standards and guidance currently available from National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC).  This training is also posted on IMIA’s website: http://www.imiaweb.org/education/details.asp?id=4209

Our training also discusses the California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA) standards. These standards are the law for medical interpreters since 2009. All such interpreters must be trained in “interpreting ethics, conduct, and confidentiality” as set out in the CHIA standards.
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Question 7

The leading motivator to pursue the training and certification will be income opportunity.  What can you tell me about the income opportunities in this area for those that attend?

Answer:

• Types of work: Hospitals, doctors offices, community opportunities—public education sessions/seminars
• Average annual salary for interpreters nationwide was $50,610 as of May 2011, which means $24.33 per hour. **
• Interpreters with less than one year experience can expect $10-18.50 hourly. The range of annual salaries for professionals of all experience levels is from $21,036 – $83,847. ***
• Salinas, CA has an employment of 890, not including self-employed persons, an hourly mean wage of $12.10, and an annual mean wage of $25,170. **
• Job outlook: no need to worry about a saturated market. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 42% improvement in the job outlook for interpreters and translators in the next decade. ** Economicmodeling.com stated “when most of the economy was taking a severe beating, translation and interpretation services have grown by about 50%.”****
• The states with highest employment are as follows: **

**According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. ***According to Payscale.com

****According to Economicmodeling.com *****Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
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Question 8

What is the style of your training?

Answer: Our training has a real-world focus: practical, yet fun. You will learn from industry professionals: hospitals, language service providers, and practicing medical interpreters. These professionals will share their experience with you. You will be involved in realistic role-play sessions to practice your new skills. You will have the opportunity to use the technology that interpreters use on a daily basis. There will be a consistent environment of group support.
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Question 9

What is the feedback from past workshops?

Answer: “I thought I couldn’t make a career of medical interpreting. This workshop has been most encouraging.”

“The variety of presenters was beneficial.” “The speakers were very professional.”

“Even though it’s not a secret field, I have found medical interpretation difficult to get into.”

“It was a most informative workshop and I look forward to learning more.”

“This workshop was excellent. Thank you so much.”
[Insert YouTube video links here when done]
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Question 10

What are the new laws in California requiring medical professionals to provide an interpreter for non-English speaking patients?

Answer:  On January 1, 2009, California implemented the first law—Senate Bill 853—to require that health insurance companies provide interpreting and translating services to patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination against people in programs receiving federal assistance regardless of national origin. This means interpreters must be provided to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 also supports the use of interpreters. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments to make their programs accessible to deaf or hard of hearing people, therefore also requiring ASL interpreters.
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Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

2015 Training Calendar

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

These dates don’t work for you?

Suggest new ones here!

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

Each term above is a link to a mini-site on that subject–please click!

The training will move you forward toward
the following goals:

• Meet minimum requirement to take national certification exam!
• Be part of the 46% growth in interpreting jobs in the next decade
• Help the community fulfill the need in healthcare interpreting
• Improve the quality of services in the healthcare industry

Click calendar for details on our next session!

Click Here to Download Registration Form

Training Focus:

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

Take a glimpse of our instructors…

Instructors are real-world professionals

• Experts in their field
• Work in doctors’ offices and hospitals daily
• Examples are:
  • certified medical interpreters,
  • language access coordinators,
  • Monterey Language Services management

Who should participate?

• Interpreters looking to earn the 40 hour minimum training for state and national certification
• Bilinguals wanting to begin the process of becoming medical interpreters

Feedback from previous training sessions

“I thought I couldn’t make a career of medical interpreting. This workshop has been most encouraging.”

“Even though it’s not a secret field, I have found medical interpretation difficult to get into.”

“It was a most informative workshop and I look forward to learning more.”

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

$800    In-person participants

$750     Online participants

Act Now! Register by March 31st and get a $50 discount!

Registration form (click to download)

(no need to pay right away)

Certificate of Completion

Received at end of the 40 hours

Minimum requirement to take the national certification

Certificate of Competency

Given after passing exit exam

Exit Exam

Fee included in the training

Given one month after training completion

Optional

May take the exam without training, but there will be a fee of $150.

Benefits of passing exit exam

Endorsment that you meet industry standards–that you deliver quality service to your patient

Higher chance of being hired as a medical interpreter by Monterey Language Services and elsewhere

Signifies that you are ready to take the national certification

Return to Info Center: 40 hr Medical Interpreter Training

MONTEREY, Calif. (11/19, 2014) – Monterey Language Services (MLS) will be hosting an intensive 5 day, 40 hour training course in medical interpreting. The course will take place the week of 1/19-1/23/2015 and is open to all area bilinguals interested in pursuing jobs as medical interpreters.

Monterey Language Services first announced the 40 hour training course at its successful community service workshop last weekend, which let the public get a glimpse into the inner workings of the medical interpretation field—a field that comes with many common misconceptions.

“I was wondering if they (medical interpreters) start out as many of us, interpreting for family and friends, or if they have jobs where the employer saw a need to better train the janitor, for example, so he could fill two roles,” said one participant, “as was the case with my father in 1969.”

“Today, industry standards require medical interpreters to show proof of 40 hour training, successful assessment, and qualification,” said Mei-Ling Chen, Director of Translation at Monterey Language Services, who is also a Monterey Institute of International Studies trained interpreter.

Just because you’re bilingual doesn’t mean you’re qualified to interpret in healthcare. The era of family member “interpreters” is over. “Just being bilingual, it’s not enough. But if you have a certificate from Monterey Language Services, it’s good,” said Victor Sosa, the head of the Language Access at Natividad Medical Center, during his presentation at the workshop.

The Monterey Language Services-hosted program will provide the 40 hour minimum training required in the healthcare interpreting industry to obtain a national certification. Training will be conducted by experienced medical interpreters and trainers. Upon successfully completing the course, participants will receive a certificate of attendance. Those who pass the exit exam will also receive a certificate of competency in medical interpreting from Monterey Language Services. The course will take place 1/19/2015 – 1/23/2015, cost: $800 onsite, $750 online.

Download the workshop info and registration form here.

Registration form: http://www.montereylanguages.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Flyer-Medical-Interpretation-v2.pdf

For more information, please call 831 655 3460.

The seminar, which is open to all local bilingual residents interested in pursuing jobs as medical interpreters, is intended to usher local bilingual speakers into jobs in healthcare.  If participants pass MLS’s exit exam, they will be issued a certificate that is accepted by regional hospitals.

According to the United States Department of Labor Statistics, employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 46 percent from 2012 to 2022.

“This means Spanish-speakers, and speakers of other languages such as Chinese and Arabic, can use their language skills to find full-time work,” said Mei-Ling Chen, owner of MLS and a graduate of the Monterey Institute of International Studies. “Certified training is an important step to starting a career in this growing field.”

Since 2010, Monterey Language Services has seen a steady increase in the need for professional medical interpreters, as healthcare organizations have come to prefer interpreters with certification credentials over non-certified candidates. As a leader in the field of medical interpreting locally, this training allows MLS to share its experience and in-depth knowledge with potential service providers.

The cost for the November 15^th event is $60 if attending in person and $45 if attending on-line. This is the premiere of the seminar series. Please call 831-655-3460 for more information.

Download the workshop info and registration form here.