The comprehensive curriculum for our 60-hour Fundamentals of Medical Interpreting course, designed for bilingual health care staff and volunteers, includes ethics, communication, medical terminology, and professional protocols.

Our curriculum is delivered by a Massachusetts Medical Interpreter Training team with expertise in adult learning, medical interpreting, and health care literacy:

• Lead trainers, who provide instruction on the role of interpreters and the need for competency
• Anatomy and physiology instructors
• Language coaches to meet the needs of each language group in the classroom

Our instructors emphasize competency skills in these areas:

• Practical applications of interpreting skills including understanding of the code of ethics and standards of practice
• Effective communication among patients, providers, and interpreters
• Listening and memory skill development
• Comprehensive medical terminology in target languages
• Human anatomy and physiology vital to effective medical interpreting
• Understanding of culture and delivery of health care

Role playing and medical terminology are incorporated into each session. Because instructors have current experience in the field as medical interpreters — and understand the cultural traditions and values of numerous populations — participants can then apply these lessons within their own medical interpreting careers.

Certificate of completion

Students who complete the course and pass the final assessment receive a certificate of completion. Those who would like additional practice participate in an optional field experience under the supervision of an experienced, trained interpreter. A letter of completion is provided separately for the field experience.

Who should attend?

Fundamentals of Medical Interpreting is designed for bilingual health care staff and volunteers to enhance their skills to perform as medical interpreters in accordance with the national standards of practice and code of ethics developed by the National Council on Interpreting and Health Care.

We offer a significant discount for MassHealth provider applicants. If you work for a MassHealth provider, please mention that when you register.

Admission

In addition to a completed application and pre-registration form, applicants must pass a language assessment to be considered for acceptance in Fundamentals of Medical Interpreting. Early registration is recommended, as class size is limited.