PBMC Medical Interpreter Travels Long Path to Give Back

Jessica Ruiz, a graduate and employee, recently earned the distinction of completing her certification for the National Board of Certified Medical Interpreters. 

The certification, according to PBMC staff, recognizes the "proof of the level of quality achieved and personal commitment to her profession."

However, a quick conversation with Ruiz illustrates that the achievement, though notable - Ruiz is the first woman in New York State to earn the certification and the fifth person overall - represents only a sliver of her dedication to serving as a vital link between Spanish-speaking medical patients and English-speaking staff.

Ruiz, now 27 years of age, arrived in the United State from Puerto Rico at the age of seven with her grandparents, going on to graduate RHS in 2003. While attending RHS, Ruiz was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder. It was during her time at PBMC and Stony Brook University Medical Center where Ruiz learned the value of having someone knowledgeable in the medical field to serve as a communicator.

"I've always wanted to give back to the medical field," she said in an interview this week. While hospitals offer interpreters over the phone, being next to a patient's bed, in person, makes all the difference, she said.

"The level of understanding adds a layer of trust. I can see their face saying 'I don't understand,' and if they don't, I can break it down into more simple Spanish they can understand."

Ruiz faced yet another setback in 2003, when her Horton Avenue home was hit hard by floods, forcing her family to move out. After living with family for a year in Pennsylvania, Ruiz came back to Long Island to attend school.

But while attending Suffolk County Community College, Ruiz was forced to drop out when the disorder rendered her no longer able to attend class. Though she will always have pemphigus vulgaris, medical treatment has suppressed it and Ruiz has not felt its effects in eight years.

She has been with PBMC going on five years now, and serving as a go-between for Spanish-speaking patients, has been able to prevent incorrect diagnoses and hone doctors' focus, allowing them to ultimately get to more patients. And the Hispanic population has grown in recent years - census data shows the Hispanic and Latino population in Riverhead has more than doubled in the past 10 years - indicating interpretation services will only be in higher demand in coming years.

"When I first came to this country it was very hard, because there aren't people out there willing to interpret for you," she said. "And I think the journeys and battles I've been through have made me a stronger person. Now I'm just glad I can provide help to those who need it."