Medical Students as Certified Interpreters

doi:10.1001/amajethics.2019.232

Cited by 20 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Only a handful of programs that train students to be medical interpreters have been previously documented: Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine [ 7 ], Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai [ 7 , 8 ], Penn State College of Medicine [ 9 ], and Brown University [ 10 ]. Of these, most are for medical students, and only one other [ 10 ] includes both medical and undergraduate students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters: Exposure and experience

Wechsler,

Tamasi

2024

BMC Med Educ

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Background When patients do not speak the same language as their doctors, they face poorer medical outcomes, decreased doctor-patient trust, and a diminished desire to seek medical care. It has been well established that interpretation is an essential part of an accessible healthcare system, but effective use of such language services relies on both the interpreters themselves and the healthcare teams working with them. This study presents an interdisciplinary examination of the motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters, a group which serves as a bridge between these roles. While not full-time interpreters, they receive official training and spend time serving patients in local clinics. Further, for those who aspire to careers in medicine, interpreting provides invaluable exposure to the medical field and early professional know-how. Methods Semi-structured individual interviews with undergraduate student interpreters were conducted to describe this multifaceted educational experience. A thematic analysis framework was employed to understand how and why they volunteer their time to interpret. Results Motivations of student interpreters were found to fall under three general categories: (1) personal identity, or connection to family, language, and their career aspirations; (2) community engagement, or the opportunity to make a direct impact on patients at an early stage; and (3) pre-professional experience, both in general and specifically in healthcare. Each of these contributes to the view of a student medical interpreter as a unique contributor to language equity in medicine, as they provide language services in the short-term as well as set themselves up to be linguistically and culturally competent providers in the long-term. Conclusions A greater understanding of student motivations adds to knowledge about language mediation and validates the utility of students in this role, encouraging the development of more student interpreter programs. Particularly in communities with high proportions of non-English speakers, these students can contribute to making medical care as inclusive and accessible as possible.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters: Exposure and experience

Wechsler,

Tamasi

2024

BMC Med Educ

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“…These rules and regulations serve to improve access to quality of services and drive demand for and utilization of interpreter services. While demand for medical interpretation has increased over time, interpreter workforce shortages, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, initiated delays in services and low-quality care (Aitken, 2019;Knodel, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compassion and Trauma: Occupational Health Experiences of Certified Medical Interpreters in Five U.S. States

Graves

Ross

González

et al. 2023

Workplace Health Saf

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Medical interpreters play a vital role in fostering understanding and ensuring safety and transparency in healthcare for patients with non-English language preference. Limited research describes work-related experiences of medical interpreters. The purpose of this research was to explore perceptions of occupational health and safety among medical interpreters. A structured, online survey was administered to all certified medical interpreters in Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, California, and Texas. Participants described occupational experiences as an interpreter via an open-ended question. Responses were coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Response text was reviewed, a codebook of descriptive themes developed, and data thematically coded and summarized. Of 981 potential participants, 199 responded (20.3% response rate). Four main themes were identified: Professionalism and Role, Work-Related Challenges, Approaches to Mitigate Vicarious Trauma, and The Rewarding Nature of the Job. Respondents described compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, intentional emotional distancing from clients, and loneliness. Respondents identified needs for workplace support to ensure professionalism and safeguard interpreter safety. Medical interpreters appreciate their work, yet face challenges, including compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Employers and healthcare institutions should support the occupational and emotional needs of medical interpreters as a vital member of the healthcare team.

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“…As of 2018, over 41 million people in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language, and approximately 16 million of those persons state that they speak English less than “very well.” [ 1 ] This large number of patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) comes with a corresponding need for medical interpreters. Because language barriers contribute to health disparities, trained interpreters are essential for bridging the linguistic and cultural divide between patients with LEP and their healthcare providers [ 2 – 11 ]. Despite policies requiring otherwise, it is relatively common practice for physicians that are treating LEP patients to turn to bilingual family members or untrained, ostensibly bilingual staff for interpretation when a licensed interpreter is not immediately available [ 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In response to the increasing need for bilingual providers, a few medical schools have sought to develop interpreter training programs for medical students [ 20 – 24 ]. Ideally, these interpreter trained students can assist in language appropriate care through volunteering in their university hospital and at affiliated free or charitable clinics [ 11 , 25 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overcoming the language barrier: a novel curriculum for training medical students as volunteer medical interpreters

et al. 2022

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Background Over 41 million people in the United States speak Spanish as their primary language, of which 16 million have limited English proficiency (LEP). It is well-established that language barriers contribute to health disparities and that the use of ad-hoc interpretation by untrained family members results in substandard care. We developed a novel interpreter training program for medical students to serve as in-person interpreters at a charitable, resident continuity clinic so as to overcome the language barrier in the delivery of healthcare to LEP patients. Methods The Medical Student Interpreter Training Program (MSITP) consists of three steps. First, fluent Spanish-speaking students shadowed a licensed interpreter. Second, students took a standardized phone exam to demonstrate language proficiency. Finally, students completed a three-hour training on the methodology and ethics of interpreting conducted by the Department of Interpreter Services. Results Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess students’ familiarity with the Interpreter Code of Ethics and interpreter skills. Familiarity with the Interpreter Code of Ethics increased significantly with all students reporting feeling comfortable (47%) or very comfortable (53%) after training. The pre- and post-tests included free response questions, which were administered to assess competence in the methodology and ethics of interpreting. The cohort’s aggregate score increased by 35% after the training (Wilcoxon signed rank z-score = 2.53; p = .01). Conclusions Implementing the MSITP resulted in an increased number of trained, Spanish-speaking interpreters available to provide their services to LEP patients at an affiliated charitable clinic and throughout the university hospital. Unlike other program models which are time and resource-intensive, this program is replicable and easily managed by volunteers. The MSITP is an effective model for training students as medical interpreters to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare for LEP patients.

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Medical Students as Certified Interpreters

Cited by 20 publications

References 9 publications

Motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters: Exposure and experience

Motivations of undergraduate student medical interpreters: Exposure and experience

Compassion and Trauma: Occupational Health Experiences of Certified Medical Interpreters in Five U.S. States

Overcoming the language barrier: a novel curriculum for training medical students as volunteer medical interpreters

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