The Healthcare Interpreting course is a 40-hour introductory interpreting course with an emphasis on the specialized sector of healthcare interpreting. It provides an overview of the field of Community Interpreting and Interpreting Studies in general. Participants will study the professional code of ethics for healthcare interpreters and apply them to real-world settings. Participants will also learn and practice extensively basic interpreting protocols throughout the course. Finally, participants will learn how to break down medical terminology and interpret it effectively.
At the end of the course, participants will be able to use basic interpreting protocols and strategies to facilitate direct patient-provider communication. Finally, participants will use strategies, such as strategic mediation, to resolve cultural and linguistic differences.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES (What are the overall course objectives?)
- Students will be able to identify and describe the cultural, linguistic, and systemic complexities of bilingual health care.
- Students will be able to use their bilingual skills as active participants to promote effective communication in a healthcare setting.
- Students will be able to compare and contrast the various human and technological resources used to overcome language barriers in healthcare.
- Students will practice interpreting skills within simulated healthcare encounters.
- Students will identify the limits to their linguistic fluency and interpreting skills.
- Students will analyze the role of the healthcare interpreter within the clinical encounter, the healthcare team, and the healthcare system.
- Students will use an established decision-making process for healthcare interpreters to analyze and resolve challenging clinical situations related to bilingual healthcare.
- Students will analyze professional versus non-professional healthcare interpreting.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of basic medical terminology
- Students will identify healthcare interpreting as a coordinated, goal-oriented part of the healthcare encounter.
- Students will create a plan to develop their linguistic fluency, interpreting skills, and bilingual clinical experience.
