Medical Interpreter Certificate Program to Begin March 3

Medical interpreters bridge the communication gap between non-English speaking patients and medical personnel. As vital members of the healthcare team, they are trained to communicate accurate information on patient materials, informational brochures, and consultations into a format that is understood by patients.

The Medical Interpreter certificate program at KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Educationprepares students to provide patients with high-quality interpretation services. Individuals interested in starting a career in the medical field, nurses, medical office staff, and those looking to develop their skill set can benefit from this program. Instructor Alicia Morales recommends the course even for those who do not intend to work in the field.

“People who are taking care of chronically ill relatives can benefit greatly from knowing the medical terminology, the required ethics and standards of practice, and the ‘cultural competence’ approach we teach,” Morales said.

The two-month program is ideal for individuals who are bilingual in English and Spanish. 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.

For Dora Aguirre, program graduate, the program has allowed her to make a difference in the lives of others by bridging the language gap.

“It gives me the opportunity to help others that are limited in the language,” Aguirre said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and for my parents.”

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. The training helps students prepare for the taking a national certification test.

“[The] certificate, together with the certification from the National Board for the Certification of Medical Interpreters [are] certainly a plus,” Instructor Morales said. “The certificate actually gets you to stand above the rest when looking for a job or a promotion.”

The Medical Interpreter certificate program at KSU’s College of Continuing and Professional Education begins Saturday, March 3. For more information, visit ccpe.kennesaw.edu, email languages@ccpe.kennesaw.edu or call 470-578-6765.