How to be a certified medical translator?

 

Medical translation is one of the influencing and highly sought-after careers if one determines to stick to the field and doesn’t switch. It offers plenty of opportunities and that does make the difference. 

A lot of medical facilities require a medical translator and interpreter as the hospitals, clinics, and healthcare centers have patients from different backgrounds and languages. Many times, patients and physicians fail to understand each other due to the language barrier. 

Above all, not all of these are native English speakers. A medical translator has to be fluent in more than two languages, the source language, and target language, as well as the medical terminology, is also important.

Basic requirements to become a certified medical translator

Individuals who are interested in being a certified medical translator should be taking care of the following points:

• He should be at least 18 years or older
• A high school diploma holder
• Should have completed 40 hours of medical interpreting training (if he wants to opt for the interpreter)
• Highly proficient in English and one more target language

Once an individual possesses these basic requirements, he would have to go for an exam. The exam is also important for being a medical interpreter. CoreCHI is the name of this exam. They conduct it online and have about 100 multiple-choice questions. 

The main content of the test covers fundamental healthcare knowledge and also has extensive medical terminology.

It is also important to mention that for the languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, or Arabic, translators need to go for the oral exams, and multiple-choice is also imperative for the certification.

Validity of certification 

The license has a particular validity and it requires renewal after the said period. The certificate can either be obtained through CCHI or by the National Board as well. 

In the case of the National Board, you will have to go through 30 hours of training after five years. As for the CCHI, continuing education of 16 hours every two years is important to have this certificate renewal.

Final words

Being a certified medical translator is a rewarding as well as a challenging job. The translator is supposed to bridge the language gap between patients and health care providers.

Patients often fail to communicate in the English or other language of choice and that is where translators and interpreters are required, to treat the best way possible.

Resource:

How to be a medical translator

What does a medical translator do?

How much do Medical Translators make in an hour?