Who is a certified Spanish medical interpreter?

Who is a certified Spanish medical interpreter?

Introduction

I am currently engaged in fundraising campaign to pay for Spanish medical interpreter certification courses and exams.

The US faces a server shortage of (certified) Spanish medical interpreters.

A language barrier should not force Limited English speakers to suffer from inferior medical care.

I am fluent in Spanish.

I am certified to translate Spanish and Portuguese to English (conversion of text).

For my interpretation quest, I currently study human anatomy and physiology to prepare me for the certification courses.

I just need help paying for the certification material and courses to become a Spanish medical interpreter.

Could you make a donation of $25 today? Thanks!

Below is a rough sketch of the slog ahead of me to become a certified medical interpreter. 

However, with my knowledge of Spanish, fluency, and determination (and your help), I know I will succeed to knock down language barriers in the US medical system!

The Serpentine Spanish Medical Certification Process

There are essential four steps to become a certified medical Spanish interpreter by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters:

•  40 hours of health care interpreter training
• Spanish Level Check
• Written Exam (now on-site)
• Oral Exam (now on-site)

I need to take the 40-hour course. A 60-hour course is available and will likely become the new standard.

That course is about $1000.

Could you make a donation of $25 today to help pay that cost? Thanks!

Next, I am fluent in Spanish. However, you need 24 hours of Spanish classes (about 8 college-level) courses.

An alternative – which I plan to pursue – is achieving the Advanced Mid-Level qualification. I recently lived  9 years in Latin America.

That exam can be around $110.

So, as you can see, even before you get to the written exam you have paid nearly $1100. 

Add the registration fee for the certification board and you have another $1150!

Then, once you have presented your qualifying scores for the 40-hour course and your language level, you sign up for the written exam, another $175 as of this writing. 

Finally, upon successfully completing the written test, you have to pass the oral exam, $275 more.

That’s almost a total of $1500 if you pass step and do not have to repeat!

Could you make a donation of $25 today to help pay that cost? Thanks!

I am confident. 

I have the cultural background, Spanish language power, tenacity, and determination to complete the process.

Please give today to pay for the certification classes and tests. Thanks!

Why certified medical interpreters

Just as you would demand your nurses and doctors to be certified, it is the same for medical interpreters who act as mediators between patients and medical staff.

Interpreters (and fellow translators!) are just as much professionals as medical personnel.

Medical interpreters are sometimes involved in life and death situations – that’s the facts of life.

You want the best qualified personnel around you at that crucial moment.

Having competent medical interpretation is the first step in preventing tragedies like that of Willie Ramirez. 

Thus, every medical interpreter must experience the serpentine certification process.

I accept the challenge!

Unlike other interpreting scenarios, the decisions in the hospital or clinic demand the utmost understanding of medical knowledge to assist both patients and doctors to achieve a successful outcome!

Your generous donation today of $25 helps me to pay for the certification courses and exams. Thanks!

You can help knock down the language barrier that often results in bad medical care for Limited English speakers!

Conclusion

The process of Spanish medical certification is not easy.

It is also costly and time-consuming.

However, it is rewarding as well.

You can play a key role in the whole process!

Could you help pay for these courses and exams with your donation of $25 today? Thanks!

p.s. Please tweet or share on Linkedin this article to your friends. Thanks for your help!

My quest to become a certified Spanish medical interpreter

For the last 9 years, I taught English in Latin America.

The time I spent from Colombia to Argentina to Brazil and finally back to Colombia was exhilarating.

I solidified my Spanish fluency and picked up some Portuguese along the way.

While there were many challenges from financial to health setbacks, I always held dear this phrase - ''Sigo adelante'' - I go forward.

Going Forward

So, now, at the tail end of 2017, I plan to go forward into the next year as a certified Spanish medical interpreter.

I am already a certified translator from Spanish and Portuguese to English. 

Florida International University, one of the handful of educational institutions that offer such a program in the United States, prepared me well to convert text from Spanish and Portuguese into English.

Of course, I had interpreting classes as well. It was just that I could not appreciate them enough at the time because my Spanish was not as strong as it is now.

Hint: If you are studying a second or third language  now, remember this one factoid - you need to LIVE in the country where the language is spoken to really dominate it.

 [Please Retweet this article to your friends.]

I follow my own advice that I give to my ESL students!

Now, I am ready to meet and surpass the challenge to become a medical interpreter.

Certified Medical Spanish Interpreter

Health care is already a sore subject in the United States for many reasons. 

Delivery of medical services has even grown more acute because of recent political chicanery.

Nevertheless, a trend I saw way back in 2000 while working in Washington, DC, has also reached a fever pitch now - the strong influence of the Spanish language in the US.

I actually took 4 years of Spanish in high school and learned a lot. 

Taking Spanish in high school for a long time seemed like a punchline for many, but it is big time serious right now.

While I minored in French at Florida State, I returned to Spanish learning after 9/11 in DC when I decided to become fluent by studying in Madrid, Spain in 2002.

While I am a certified translator  now, I now want to go a step further to be a certified Spanish medical interpreter.

I thought about becoming a certified legal interpreter, but I prefer medicine.

But, I need your donation to help me pay for the classes in January. I really do appreciate it!

Fundraising Quest

I need to start my certification classes in January, perhaps February at the latest. 

I am beginning to organize my studies of human anatomy and physiology which is only a part of challenge before me.

Another challenge is to pay for these certification classes and exams in January.



That is not much time between now and then. I have a $6,000 goal to reach!

I've started a GoGetFunding fundraising account to help me pay for the costs to become a certified Spanish medical interpreter. 

I really do appreciate it!

In this blog, I will keep you updated on my progress in my studies and why more Spanish interpreters are needed in our hospitals and clinics to help our family, friends, and neighbors.

Conclusion

I need to take Spanish medical certification classes in January and get a better computer to help me study.

In a later post, I will explain more about the serpentine certification process. In short, it is not a overnight project!

Please give what you can today to help. I really do appreciate it!

Thanks for reading this entire post!

p.s. Please Retweet this article to your friends. 

¡Muchas gracias!