Medical Interpreter Certificate Program at KSU Aims to Bridge the Language Barrier Gap

A desire to bridge the language barrier gap is what L.Dinorah Roldan, Yolaine Batista and Eloisa Gonzalez have in common. All three women, eager to contribute and make a difference in their communities, enrolled in the Medical Interpreter certificate program at KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education.

“I came to this country to do this,” Batista said. “I noticed how difficult it is for non-English speakers in the United States, especially when they need medical attention.”

Batista’s perceived observations are not much different from research done in the area. According to an analysis done by the Pew Research Center on Hispanic Trends in 2013, 12.5 million Hispanics said they speak English but rate their speaking ability as less than “very well” and an additional 3.2 million say they do not speak English at all.

When a patient has limited English proficiency, it is nearly impossible for the most skilled clinician to provide high-quality healthcare services without accurate interpreting performed by a trained, qualified interpreter who is familiar with medical terminology. Nationwide, interpreters are becoming highly valued members of the healthcare team. Their responsibilities have evolved greatly in the last decade and continue to grow in order to meet needs of Hispanic communities across the country.

Gonzalez’s had very personal reasons to further her education and complete the program. “My father died of cancer in 2008,” Gonzalez said. “Because of this, I was interested in getting the Medical Interpreter certificate to help people – especially in Spanish and English. Sometimes they have a lot of problems and people do not understand the medical wording terms.”

Ideal for bilingual individuals, the accelerated program can be completed in just two months. Students learn to identify human anatomy in both languages, translate medical documents from English to Spanish, communicate common medical terminology in written and verbal formats, and understand the code of ethics and roles of a Medical Interpreter.

“The medical interpreter course is actually a fascinating course,” Roldan said. “I took it because I wanted to actually help people with limited English proficiency in the medical setting. I learned a lot about the body’s anatomy, which was very interesting. But I also learned a lot of terms spoken in English and Spanish, which helped me polish my own Spanish.”

In addition to class lectures, students in the program also participate in bilingual discussion, interviews, and presentations. The hands-on approach provides students with additional practice of the concepts learned in class.

“I had two teachers and they were great help,” Gonzalez said. “They give you a lot of resources and you learn so much. I encourage you, if you speak another language to come and join the Medical Interpreter world,” Gonzalez said.

The Medical Interpreter certificate program at KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education begins on Saturday, March 4. For more information, visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu or call 470-578-6765.