Page 20 - The Medical Interprete

THE MEDICAL INTERPRETER

Portfolio assessments

Many languages do not have interpreter skills tests or certification exams–or even language
proficiency tests. In cases like these, interpreters can often show proof of their language proficiency
and interpreting skills through a professional portfolio.

DEFINITION A professional portfolio can include documents
about the interpreter’s general education, interpreter
Communicative autonomy training and professional experience. Letters of
Portfolio
recommendations, awards or other documents can
Career portfolio: an organized also be used.
presentation of an individual’s education,
work samples and skills. You should keep a portfolio even if you interpret

Wikipedia in a language that has tests and exams. After all,
your portfolio is the place for all your professional
In other words, a professional portfolio credentials. For example, do you hold membership
is a collection of documents that show an in professional associations? Have you received any
individual’s qualifications, credentials and
skills, including continuing education. professional honors or awards? Guard those documents
preciously.

Which credentials do you need?

There is an emerging national consensus about the basic qualifications that community (including
medical) interpreters should have. In the United States, any medical interpreter who enters a training
program should demonstrate the following:
• Be 18 years or older.
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Demonstrate adequate oral proficiency in their working languages.
• Have literacy in their working languages. 8
• Have had life experiences in countries or communities where they communicated regularly
in their working languages.

Adapted from NCIHC (2011)

In addition, the two national medical interpreter certification programs (NBCMI and CCHI) discussed
under “Medical interpreter certification” later in this section require that the interpreter hold a
certificate for professional training in medical interpreting of 40 hours or longer.

8 Except languages for which a written form is not commonly used.

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