Training the Next Generation of Medical Interpreters
By Mira Radovich, Senior contributing writer
Millions of people in the U.S. have limited English proficiency. This creates significant challenges in healthcare settings since English is the primary language used in American healthcare.
Ultimately, communication problems can lead to mistakes in treatment and disparate quality of care. These issues highlight the need for qualified medical interpreters in healthcare settings.
That is why Rio Salado College offers two courses in Spanish for Medical Interpreting.
“Medical interpretation is a worthy career path for compassionate bilingual individuals who want to give back and support vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Marcela Testai, Rio Salado College Spanish adjunct faculty member, who teaches both courses.
As an anesthesiologist and pain and palliative care physician, Testai brings years of medical expertise and experience to her role.
“I graduated from the University of Buenos Aires and was a full-time anesthesiologist in Argentina covering general surgery, pediatric, kidney transplant, neurosurgery and more,” Testai said.
In addition to her medical degrees, Testai earned an M.A. in Hispanic American literature from New Mexico State University, and a bachelor’s degree in Foreign Language Concentration from the Instituto del Profesorado Lenguas Vivas in Argentina.
Testai’s medical and linguistics background helped her see the importance of medical interpretation.
“Many non-English speakers seeking healthcare struggle to communicate with medical staff and understand important information,” Testai said. “We need qualified interpreters to bridge language and cultural gaps to help ensure health equity for this often-underserved population.”
Dr. Testai Publishes Abstract
Testai studied this issue and recently published an abstract in the Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics, a triannual academic journal by Johns Hopkins University Press.
The article, “Voices from The Clinic: Interpreters, Patients, and Power,” examines the experiences of medical interpreters and explores the complex relationships of language, culture, and power dynamics within the healthcare setting.
Her research identified three key takeaways: power differentials, language barriers and the vulnerability of marginalized populations.
“Healthcare providers should receive education to know what medical interpreters do, and how important their role is,” Testai said. “Medical interpreters should receive a formal recognition as part of the healthcare team.”
How to Get Started in the Field
Testai said that medical interpreters should have a formal education in the languages they will interpret as well as knowledge of basic medical terminology.
“A qualified interpreter needs a strong knowledge base in human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology,” Testai said. “You don’t need to be an expert in those fields, but you need to know how organs work and what medical conditions are related to them.”
Rio Salado’s two Spanish for Medical Interpreting classes will help students get started.
- SPA205 – Spanish for Medical Interpreting 1- covers the code of ethics, national standards and medical interpreter’s responsibilities, cultural awareness and legal issues.
- SPA206 – Spanish for Medical Interpreting 2 - covers medical vocabulary related to human anatomy and physiology.
“These classes are a must for anybody who wants to pursue a career in medical interpreting,” Testai said. “They also benefit medical and nursing students who want to add medical interpreting skills to their educational foundation.”
To register for Rio’s Spanish for Medical Interpreting classes, students need to speak both English and Spanish fluently. The prerequisite for SPA205 is a B or better in SPA202 within the last three years.
Bilingual individuals who feel that they have the required skills, but have not completed the prerequisite coursework can take a departmental placement assessment.
After Completing Coursework
Students who successfully complete SPA105 and SPA206 can apply the credits toward a Rio Salado College Academic Certificate in Language Studies or Academic Certificate in Spanish Language and Culture.
Course credits are also accepted in transfer to Arizona’s three public universities. Students can also pursue certification from a national organization.
“There are both in-person and remote job opportunities available for qualified interpreters,” Testai said. “But it is critical that medical interpreters commit to being life-long learners for as long as they practice.”