Medical translation certification

by Sybil
(Eden, N.C.)

Sybil asked: I have been working for a government agency for the last 4 years and I translate medical, educational, legal and any other thing that is required. I also translate written documents for medical providers and educational providers.

Recently I was asked if I was certified and when I told them no, one of my long time medical clients told me that in order to translate written medical information that their employer required that I be certified. I have no problem with this since I am fluent in english and spanish and I have been doing this for 15 years. I just need to know how and where I can accomplish this.



The Spanish Translator: Thanks for the question about medical translation certification, Sybil. Your question brings up one of those things that I can't stand when it comes with dealing with translation clients who don't really know what they're talking about.

Let me explain. It sounds like you've been doing a good job translating documents for all these different medical clients and one day, a client heard that there was something called certification for translators and decided without even looking into it that all of their translators should be certified. Little do clients realize that in the United States, there isn't a requirement for translators to be certified, and certification doesn't make a translator any better.

Because of this, anyone could print up a certificate from their home computer that says they are certified in translation and it would be (almost) just as valid as having one from any large translation organization.

That being said, if you have to do what the client wants, there are different programs out there for becoming certified. I'd probably go with one of the online translation certificate programs.

However, before doing any of that, I would clarify what the client means by being certified. If you're going to go through the trouble of becoming certified, then you'll want to make sure that you get it taken care of the first time.