Interpreting in Health Care Settings
This training program is designed for bilingual individuals who are interested in facilitating linguistic and cultural communication between patients and health care providers. This is a competency based training program involving lectures, discussions, simulations, field work and special student projects. Besides working with the course instructor, students will be working closely with their assigned Language Coach to enhance their linguistic and cultural competencies. Minimal student qualifications include the ability to speak fluently in his/her language of service and is committed to the entire training program which consists of 3 courses. The three courses are briefly described below:
1. Health 80 is an introduction to medical interpreting. This course is designed to develop awareness, knowledge and skills necessary for language interpretation in health care settings. At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
-describe the roles and responsibilities of a health care interpreter;
-explain the code of ethics involved in medical interpreting;
-discuss the similarities and or differences between the biomedical culture and student's own culture,
-acquire a basic knowledge of common medical conditions, treatments and procedures;
-gain insight in language and cultural nuances in specific communities;
-have opportunities to explore and develop other knowledge and skills necessary in the art of interpretation.
2. Health 81 is focuses on training bilingual individuals to be an integral member of the health care team in bridging language and cultural gaps between patients/clients and health care providers. Further enhancement of interpreting skills learned in Health 80 covering specialized health care service areas such as genetics, mental health, and death and dying. Emphasis also on the development of cultural competencies in the community and workplace and careers in interpretation. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
-Demonstrate knowledge of managing the flow of the interpreting session and mastering of these skills through classroom activities and examinations.
-Identify health issues, practices and beliefs of specific ethnic communities.
-Identify strategies and cultural sensitive approaches in working with diverse cultures.
-Demonstrate knowledge of cross-cultural communication.
-Gain a broader perspective in the different health care service areas.
-Increase health care related terminology.
-Identify strategies in self-care.
-Demonstrate skills in the development of a portfolio.
3. Health 82 consists of field work and classroom simulations focused on application of knowledge and technical interpreting skills learned in Health 80 and Health 81. Upon completion of this course, the students will be able to:
-Discuss and demonstrate understanding of the interpreter roles and the scope of practice relative to other health care professionals in the assigned agency.
-Discuss and demonstrate competence in elements of workplace, culture and professionalism: time management, reporting and accountability, maintaining personal and professional boundaries.
-Apply skills learned to the field work setting(s): conflict management, cross-cultural communication, and technical aspects of interpreting.
-Identify specific areas for self improvement needed for interpreting in health care settings.
