How does medical interpreting in a cancer institute differ from interpreting in a regular hospital? Significant differences lie in the technique, terminology use and register, mental preparation and impact on the interpreter. This type of medical interpreting is not for the weak and needs special preparation which is often not part of the curriculum and must be learned on the job and by self-study. We will discuss the skills and medical knowledge that this job requires and the personality traits that one must have or hone to be successful at it. We will also go over some ethical dilemmas faced by medical interpreters in life-threatening situations and what to do when codes of ethics are a challenge to apply.
Maria Karra is a Greek<>English medical interpreter as well as a freelance technical translator specializing in aerospace and mechanical engineering. She holds an undergraduate degree in spacecraft engineering, graduate degrees in electrical engineering, translation, and applied linguistics and a certificate in medical interpreting. She is also a certified software tester and has 9 years of experience in software quality engineering. She applies her skills and passion for aviation, engineering, and languages in her work as a technical translator for the aerospace industry, and also works as a medical interpreter at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Maria is a founding member of the International Association of Professional Translators and Interpreters and president of its Ethics Committee, member of the International Medical Interpreters Association, and senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. She has lived and worked in Greece, France and Belgium and currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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