Healthcare Interpreting
Overview
The Healthcare Interpreter certificate program is designed to prepare bilingual individuals for effective language interpretation and cultural brokering in the healthcare setting.
It emphasizes roles and responsibilities of the healthcare interpreter; the development of cultural competence in the community and workplace; insight into the language and cultural nuances for specific communities; standards and legal requirements for culturally and linguistically appropriate services; ethical decision-making, advocacy, and power dynamics in healthcare settings; and career preparation to become an integral member of the health care team.
Coursework covers modes and models of interpretation; development of the technical aspects of interpretation; techniques for facilitating and managing the flow of communication; medical terminology and related vocabulary development in the language of service; and common medical conditions and associated treatments/procedures in both basic and specialized health care service areas. Language coaches are provided to facilitate skills acquisition in the Language of Service.
- Dean Narinedat Madramootoo
- Department Chair Yeny Lopez
- HomeBase Health and Education HomeBase
- Phone (916) 484-8902
- Email askhb-healthed@arc.losrios.edu
Certificates of Achievement
Guided Pathways Milestone Certificate for Multilingual Speakers: Pathway to Health Sciences Certificate
The Guided Pathways Milestone Certificate for Multilingual Speakers: Pathway to Health Sciences recognizes English as a Second Language students' milestones in completing both advanced academic ESL course work and introductory coursework in several health science fields. It incentivizes them to continue taking courses in this discipline after completing higher level ESL courses and to obtain a Certificate of Achievement or an Associate degree for use in a workplace.
Catalog Date: August 1, 2024
Certificate Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ESL 315 | Intermediate-High Integrated Reading and Writing | 6 |
| ESL 325 | Advanced-Low Integrated Reading and Writing | 6 |
| ESLG 320 | Advanced-Low Grammar (3) | 3 |
| or ESLL 320 | Advanced-Low Listening and Speaking (3) | |
| A minimum of 5 units from the following: | 5 | |
| AH 112 | Strategies for Student Success in Health Occupations (3) | |
| AH 311 | Medical Language for Health-Care Providers (3) | |
| BIOL 102 | Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (4) | |
| CHEM 305 | Introduction to Chemistry (5) | |
| CISC 300 | Computer Familiarization (1) | |
| COMM 301 | Introduction to Public Speaking (3) | |
| HCI 300 | Introduction to Healthcare Interpreting (0.5) | |
| NUTRI 300 | Nutrition (3) | |
| Total Units: | 20 | |
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- analyze, compose, and organize oral and written communication into effective documents and/or academic compositions.
- employ reading strategies.
- participate in in-depth discussions effectively.
- take clear notes.
- give oral presentations in a business/work environment.
- convey intended meaning and formulate and use a variety of interactive strategies effectively such as clarification, polite interruption, and agreement/disagreement strategies.
- research and critically evaluate information to create informed responses to issues and problems and design messages that adapt to target audiences in order to maximize communication effectiveness.
- demonstrate basic knowledge of introductory healthcare or scientific terms.
- employ effective communication in professional healthcare settings.
Career Information
Students who complete this Pathway to Health Sciences certificate will have gained knowledge in academic English and introductory skills in several health sciences fields, such as Healthcare Interpreting, Nutrition, and Allied Health.
Healthcare Interpreting Certificate
The Healthcare Interpreter certificate program is designed to prepare bilingual individuals for effective language interpretation and cultural brokering in the healthcare setting. It emphasizes roles and responsibilities of the healthcare interpreter; the development of cultural competence in the community and workplace; insight into language and cultural nuances for specific communities; standards and legal requirements for culturally and linguistically appropriate services; ethical decision-making, advocacy and power dynamics in healthcare settings; and career preparation to become an integral member of the health care team. Coursework covers modes and models of interpretation; development of the technical aspects of interpretation; techniques for facilitating and managing the flow of communication; medical terminology and related vocabulary development in language of service; and common medical conditions and associated treatments/procedures in both basic and specialized health care service areas. Language coaches are provided to facilitate skills acquisition, and precepted fieldwork experiences are required.
Catalog Date: August 1, 2024
Certificate Requirements
| Course Code | Course Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| AH 311 | Medical Language for Health-Care Providers | 3 |
| BIOL 102 | Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology (4) | 4 - 10 |
| or [ BIOL 430 | Anatomy and Physiology (5) | |
| and BIOL 431 ] | Anatomy and Physiology (5) | |
| HCI 300 | Introduction to Healthcare Interpreting | 0.5 |
| HCI 310 | Healthcare Interpreting I | 3 |
| HCI 320 | Healthcare Interpreting II | 3 |
| HCI 330 | Healthcare Interpreting III | 3 |
| HCI 340 | Healthcare Interpreting IV | 3 |
| HCI 350 | Healthcare Interpreting Fieldwork | 3 |
| Total Units: | 22.5 - 28.5 |
Enrollment Eligibility
To be eligible for enrollment in the program, the student must meet the following criteria:
- Complete required introductory course, HCI 300, with grade of C or better.
- Demonstrate bilingual proficiency or competence in English and language of service (hearing/speaking and reading/writing) as certified by accepted state or proprietary bilingual exam, or as documented by a standardized interview/essay rubric with program staff, as designated in current application materials.
Enrollment Process
Eligible students are selected for the program according to the following steps:
- Receive application materials through participation in HCI 300.
- Submit completed application by deadline, including HCI 300 transcript or proof of completion and documentation of language competency as designated.
- Applicant selection in any given semester is contingent upon a minimum number of students in the cohort for a given language, and community need for the given language, as well as individual applicant qualifications.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:
- manage all facets of the interpreter role including the flow of the session, cross-cultural communication, conflict management, and the technical aspects of interpretation while conducting patient-provider encounters and pre and post sessions.
- incorporate and apply the profession’s codified ethical behaviors related to confidentiality and privacy, completeness and accuracy, professional integrity and professional distance, professional development and cultural competence, and the role of advocacy when patient wellbeing or dignity is at risk.
- integrate culturally sensitive strategies and approaches in working with diverse cultures, subcultures, and special populations.
- analyze career opportunities in health care interpreting, the interpreter’s role and scope of practice relative to other healthcare professionals, and the value of ongoing professional development
Career Information
Healthcare interpreting job opportunities are available through in-house hospital interpreter services, private vendors who contract with healthcare agencies, or small-business entrepreneurialism and self-employment, both full time or per diem. Venues may include face-to-face, video conferencing, or language phone services with local or at-a-distance connection and contracts.
Healthcare Interpreting (HCI) Courses
HCI 300 Introduction to Healthcare Interpreting
- Units:0.5
- Hours:9 hours LEC
- Prerequisite:None.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for bilingual/bicultural individuals interested in exploring the career choice of healthcare interpreter by developing an awareness of the roles and responsibilities of the interpreter in healthcare settings. It addresses required skills related to both language interpretation and cultural brokering and allows consideration of personal interests and aptitudes.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- identify barriers that may limit access to healthcare services for clients with limited English-language proficiency.
- examine the healthcare interpreter's role, responsibilities, and required skills related to both language access and cultural brokering.
- discuss professionalism, standards and ethics, and the complexities of the working environment for healthcare interpreters.
- explain the coursework outline, prerequisites, student responsibilities, costs, and requirements of the healthcare interpreter program.
- survey personal skills, interests, and aptitudes in relation to the activities and demands of the healthcare interpreter program and profession.
HCI 310 Healthcare Interpreting I
- Units:3
- Hours:48 hours LEC; 18 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:HCI 300 with a grade of "C" or better
- Corequisite:AH 311 and BIOL 102; or BIOL 430 & 431
- Advisory:AH 311 with a grade of "C" or better; Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLW 340.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for bilingual individuals interested in developing the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary for effective language interpretation in healthcare settings. It emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of a healthcare interpreter and basic knowledge of common medical conditions, treatments, and procedures in the areas of diagnostics, cardiovascular, renal, ophthalmic, and gastrointestinal specialties. It focuses on insight into language and cultural nuances for specific communities necessary for interpretation.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- compare the different ways interpreter services are delivered in healthcare settings.
- differentiate various ways that providers and interpreters can work together to enhance communication with patients.
- explain the interpreter's role in ensuring the patient's rights to confidentiality and informed consent.
- demonstrate beginning skills in modes of interpretation including consecutive and sight translation.
- examine how differences in cultural beliefs, cultural practices, or culturally defined roles may arise in the triadic relationship.
- employ appropriate healthcare terminology in English and language of service within clinical scenarios and situations.
- recall the elements of the interpreter pre-session. Understand the importance of each.
- compose, write and recite from memory a pre-session using your own words, and including all elements of the pre-session.
HCI 320 Healthcare Interpreting II
- Units:3
- Hours:48 hours LEC; 18 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:HCI 310 with a grade of "C" or better;
- Corequisite:AH 311
- Advisory:Eligible for ENGRD 310 or ENGRD 312 AND ENGWR 300; OR ESLW 340.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for bilingual individuals. It further develops the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary for effective language interpretation in healthcare settings covered in HCI 310. It emphasizes the roles and responsibilities of a healthcare interpreter and basic knowledge of common medical conditions, treatments, and procedures in cardiology, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and gastrointestinal specialties. It focuses on insight into language and cultural nuances for specific communities necessary for interpretation.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate increasing skills in modes of interpretation including consecutive and sight translation.
- demonstrate increasing skills in applying interpreting protocols to support participant's communicative autonomy within the interpreting encounter.
- apply skills for managing the flow of the interpreting encounter.
- correlate action and response strategies to resolve least three difficult problem types that can arise in interpretation.
- identify effective ways that differences in communication style may be handled in the triadic relationship.
- generate an expanding vocabulary of appropriate health care terminology in English and language of service for use within clinical scenarios and situations.
- examine in growing depth how differences in cultural beliefs, cultural practices, or culturally defined roles may arise in the triadic relationship.
- evaluate each encounter and recognize which mode of interpreting is most appropriate.
- demonstrate beginning skills in simultaneous interpretation and summarization.
HCI 330 Healthcare Interpreting III
- Units:3
- Hours:48 hours LEC; 18 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:HCI 320 with a grade of "C" or better
- Corequisite:AH 311
- Enrollment Limitation:Bilingual fluency in English and a second language.
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for bilingual individuals preparing to become integral members of the healthcare team, bridging the linguistic and cultural gap between clients and providers who do not speak a common language. It further develops interpreting skills covered in HCI 320. Topics include specialized healthcare service areas, such as urology, the immune system, ophthalmology, and endocrinology specialties. It also emphasizes the development of cultural competency in the community and workplace.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- exhibit progressive skills in the technical aspects of interpretation.
- demonstrate the ability to manage the flow of the interpreting encounter.
- employ the ethical decision-making method.
- examine health systems, practices, beliefs, and key health issues of specific ethnic communities.
- incorporate culturally sensitive strategies and approaches in working with diverse populations.
- employ knowledge and skills of effective communication with special emphasis on cross-cultural communication.
- build an increasingly complex vocabulary of healthcare-related concepts and terminology specific to the different healthcare service areas.
- exhibit progressive skills in the technical aspects of interpretation.
- demonstrate an understanding of established national translation guidelines for interpreters.
HCI 340 Healthcare Interpreting IV
- Units:3
- Hours:48 hours LEC; 18 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:AH 311 and HCI 330 with grades of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for bilingual individuals completing their preparation to become integral members of the healthcare team, bridging the language and cultural gap between clients and providers. It further enhances interpreting skills covered in HCI 330. Topics include specialized healthcare service areas such as genetics, oncology, neurology, behavioral health, and mental health. The course also focuses on careers in interpreting, career preparation, and self-care for the professional healthcare interpreter.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- incorporate advancing skills in the technical aspects of interpretation.
- demonstrate proficiency in skills for managing the flow of the interpreting encounter.
- integrate culturally sensitive strategies and approaches in working with diverse populations.
- build an increasingly complex vocabulary of healthcare-related concepts and terminology specific to the different healthcare service areas.
- compile resources available to support professional development and further knowledge and skills to support continuing education past program completion.
- practice self-care management strategies to avoid burnout with reference to the range of psychological, social, and emotional issues that may arise for interpreters in healthcare settings.
- examine career opportunities in healthcare interpreting including community, public health, and acute care settings, and assess personal career goals.
- create an effective professional resume and cover letter.
HCI 350 Healthcare Interpreting Fieldwork
- Units:3
- Hours:24 hours LEC; 90 hours LAB
- Prerequisite:HCI 330 with a grade of "C" or better
- Corequisite:HCI 340
- Advisory:COMM 301 with a grade of "C" or better
- Transferable:CSU
- Catalog Date:August 1, 2024
This course is designed for interpreters-in-training to facilitate linguistic and cultural communication between healthcare clients and providers. It provides fieldwork experience applying technical interpreting skills covered in HCI 310, 320, 330, and 340. A portion of this course may be offered in a TBA component of 40 hours, which may include directed practice in approved settings and fieldwork or workplace experience.
Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- analyze the interpreter’s role and scope of practice relative to other healthcare professionals within a treating/service team.
- demonstrate competence in elements of workplace culture and professionalism including work attitude, time management, reporting and documentation, accountability, and maintaining personal and professional boundaries.
- demonstrate basic public speaking abilities in healthcare settings.
- incorporate into practice the profession’s codified ethical behaviors related to confidentiality and privacy, completeness and accuracy, professional integrity and professional distance, professional development and cultural competence, and role of advocacy when patient wellbeing or dignity is at risk.
- manage all facets of the interpreter role in the fieldwork setting including cross-cultural communication, conflict management, and the technical aspects of interpretation while conducting patient-provider encounters and pre- and post- encounters.
- evaluate and address specific areas of improvement needed for competent interpreting in healthcare settings through application of reflective practice based on professional standards.
- identify types of community interpreting that commonly intersect with healthcare interpreting
- form a foundational vocabulary of terms related to other types of community interpreting such as interpreting in workers' compensation, education, criminal justice, in-home health services, and in the judicial system in California.