Medical Translation Insight

We have previously reported on efforts by the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) to facilitate interpreter access to non-English-speaking patients in the United States. IMIA's Guide on Translation was well received and the organization's annual conference is a must-attend event for anybody associated with medical interpreting.

So it is understandable that the IMIA folks are proud of the first-ever U.S. interpreting standard. This certification provides professional medical interpreters with the opportunity to become officially certified (see the official press release).

The recently-founded National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) acts as the certifying body and offers three levels of certification:

• Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI)
• Qualified Medical Interpreter (QMI)
• Screened Medical Interpreter (SMI)

The CMI certification will first be available in Spanish and is the culmination of 20 years worth of effort. Congratulations to IMIA, NBCMI, and all medical interpreters on this accomplishment!


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