Medical Interpreter Training – Helping bridge communication barriers faced by patients accessing healthcare services

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Massachusetts Medical Interpreter Training

Helping bridge communication barriers faced by patients accessing health care services.

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Registration is Open for the
Paving the Way to Health Care Access Conference 2025
June 6th & 7th 2025

Watch the
Interpreting for Healthcare
NCIHC podcast

Featuring Lisa Morris,
Director, Cross Cultural Initiatives,
ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School

Watch

Shot of two young women having a discussion in a college library

What is Medical Interpreter Training?

Medical interpreters need much more than conversational fluency in a second language to meet the needs of patients with limited proficiency in English.

The Massachusetts Medical Interpreter Training, a UMass Chan Medical School program, provides bilingual and multilingual individuals with the essential skills required to interpret effectively in healthcare settings, including:

Fluency in medical terminology
Awareness of and sensitivity to cultural differences
Competency in specialized medical settings like emergency rooms and mental health clinics

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What Programs We Offer For You

Our programs, taught by highly qualified instructors, offer instruction appropriate for a wide variety of participants, from those just entering the profession to experienced interpreters:

Conference for Medical Interpreters and those interested in improving healthcare access for those with limited English-language skills

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Become a Medical Interpreter

If you are interested in becoming a medical interpreter or would like to get more information about the training, please email us. You can learn if this training is a right fit for you. We will also add you to our contact list and contact you once the registration window opens for our next training session.

If you are employees of health centers that accept Mass Health, you may qualify for a discounted rate for the training. Please get in touch with us to learn more.

Massachusetts Medical Interpreter Training, a program of the MassAHEC Network at UMass Chan Medical School, has a dual purpose. In addition to helping healthcare institutions ensure clearer communication between staff and patients with limited English-language skills, we offer career advancement opportunities for people with multilingual skills.

We weave cultural awareness and sensitivity training into all of our medical interpreter programs. Massachusetts Medical Interpreter Training also offers cultural awareness consulting and training for healthcare organizations. Evaluating employee awareness of and sensitivity to patient’s cultural and linguistic needs is the first step to ensuring accurate, positive communication experiences.

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