Medical Language Interpreter Training for Student-Led Clinic

Title: Medical Language Interpreter Training for Student-Led Clinic
Authors: Aileen A. MacLachlan, Kerri Shaffer, Boris Tirado, Boyd Richards
Date: 1/27/2025
Abstract: With the increasing need for medical language interpreters and limited resources at volunteer clinics, many rely on community volunteer interpreters. However, affordable and accessible interpreter training is largely unavailable, creating gaps in the quality of medical language interpretation. This project addresses the need for cost-effective training by designing a free, online interpreter training course specifically tailored for student-led clinics (SLCs) and adaptable for other underserved volunteer clinics. Medical language interpretation is a vital aspect of quality care and is frequently required in SLCs. Inadequate interpretation has been linked to misdiagnoses and even fatal outcomes, highlighting the critical need for skilled interpreters. To address this, our training course consists of asynchronous, web-based modules requiring approximately three hours to complete. The content focuses on the application of the NCIHC Standards of Practice and includes a synchronous final assessment conducted either in person or via Zoom. The course was evaluated using a retrospective pre-post survey sent to 20 volunteers who completed the training, with 15 responses collected. Participants rated their confidence in applying interpretation-specific skills, comfort in providing medical interpretation, and understanding of NCIHC standards before and after the course. Results demonstrated a doubling in the number of participants reporting the highest levels of confidence, comfort, and understanding post-training (p=0.01). All respondents reported high levels of satisfaction and perceived benefit. Our findings affirm that modest, asynchronous training can significantly enhance the confidence, comfort, and understanding of volunteer interpreters. By extending this training model to other student- led clinics, we aim to improve care for non-English-speaking patients while maintaining low costs, requiring only trainees’ time and the final assessment. This initiative reflects our commitment to providing equitable healthcare access and addressing systemic barriers in medical interpretation.

Copyright: Academy of Health Sciences Educators ©2025

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Medical Language Interpreter Training for Student-Led Clinic by Aileen MacLachlan, Kerri Shaffer, MEd, MLIS, Boris Tirado & Boyd F. Richards, PhD