FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 1. What will I be able to do upon completion of this course? Answer: In order to obtain work as a medical interpreter, all bilingual persons must pass a certificate course such as this one. Upon successful completion, you will be issued a certificate of completion. The completion of this course does not guarantee work, but it is a necessary first step. 2. What is the difference between a “certificate course” and being “certified”? Answer: Consider this. To become a lawyer, you need to study law. After you study law, this does not automatically make you a lawyer; you need to pass the bar exam. Medical interpreting is similar. This certificate course is the first step in starting out as a medical interpreter. Many places, whether hospitals or agencies, hire or contract individuals with at least a medical interpreter certificate course. Once you obtain this certificate, you can go on and become “certified” by taking the national board exams through either of the two nationally recognized boards. We help you during this course to let you know what it takes to pass national exams. 3. How do I gain experience after this course? Answer: Most interpreters go on to work for hospitals or interpreting agencies after graduation from certificate programs like this one. We would be happy to recommend some upon request. 4. How do I know if I will succeed in this class? Answer: To succeed in this class, you have to be completely bilingual and fluent in two languages. You should be able to express yourself without hesitation or difficulty in both languages. Be Prepared, Punctual and Professional for each class. Pay very close attention to the video lessons. There may be points that are not on the video quiz but may be in the Mid-Term or Final Exam. The career of medical interpreting is a continuous process of learning. Nobody, after studying for even a year in a university, is going to be the best they can be without years of experience behind him or her. This course is the start of a long road ahead, on which you get better and better. We do not offer testing beforehand to tell you if you are a good candidate or not, and leave it up to you to judge yourself. 5. Will I become an expert in interpretation by completing this course? Answer: No. This is a beginner's course in interpretation. Proficiency comes with constant, ongoing practice. All the training done here will likely not be enough for you to become proficient at consecutive, simultaneous interpretation, and sight translation. You are expected to train on your own outside of class. Constantly training. The main objective of in-class training is to have your Language Coach assess your abilities and identify your strengths and weaknesses in order for you to continue training on your own. 6. Can I take this course in more than one language?   Answer: The video lessons are in English, but when you meet with your language coach, you will speak in your target language. At the mid-term exam and at the end of the course, there is a written and oral exam. If you would like to take the oral exam in more than one language, this is possible, and as a result, you will receive a grade for that additional language as well. Each additional language is an additional $200.00, which will be billed toward the end of the course once you are sure you want to proceed with this additional testing.