Language Access Consulting & Training L.L.C., is proud to offer the following 40-hour licensed interpreter training program for individual insterpreters, providers and language services organizations.

We provide nation wide on-site & online training via WebEx meetings.

"The Interpreter Advantage (TIA)"

A 40-hour Interpreter Professional Training Program

  (Licensed by Minnesota Office of Higher Education) 

Because of Covid-19, interpreter training has been suspended for 2021 until further notice. I will post an update once the pandemic restrictions are lifted. Thank you and stay safe! 

Instructor: Mohamad Anwar

Training Dates in 2021:

                    February 20, 21, 26, 27 & 28

                April 10, 11, 16, 17 & 18

                June 12, 13, 18, 19 & 20

                August 7, 8, 13, 14 & 15

                October 9, 10, 15, 16 & 17 

                December 4, 5, 10, 11 & 12

Cost: $600

Location: On-site at Saint Paul location in Minnesota

Target Audience: Medical & Health Care Interpreters

Program Policies and Guidelines:

Please click here for 2021 program catalog

Brief Description: 

This is a 40-hour interpreter professional training program intended for all medical and health care interpreters. This training will fulfill the 40-hour professional training for medical and healthcare interpreters required by many hospitals and language service providers in the state of Minnesota. In addition, it provides additional in-depth training on how to master the knowledge, skill, and aptitude (KSA) needed to take and pass either the CMI or the CHI exam (written & oral parts)

Teaching aides (such as headphones & voice recorders) are available. Accessibility aides (such as magnifiers) can be provided upon prior request and arrangement with the program instructor

*In case candidate will need to take the ACTFL OPI to fulfill language proficiency requirements, instructor will provide a separate free additional, non-curricular, 2-hour workshop on how to master the ACTFL OPI prior to taking the two exams (English & other language)

Program Curriculum and Outline:

Module1: Health care industry & medical interpreting as a stand-alone profession. 5 hours

History of translation and how interpreting, and consequently medical interpreting, evolved with time

Laws (federal & state), executive order, other statutes that govern the medical interpreting profession in the USA.

HIPAA Compliance for medical interpreters & updated rules and case studies.

The dilemma of medical interpreting as a stand-alone profession vs. the dual role. A review of where does the industry stand currently in the USA

The road ahead: Minnesota new interpreters' bill as a case study (Evolution, agreements & disagreements among different stakeholders, and the cost of implementation)

Module2: Different Codes of ethics and standards of practice for medical interpreters & how to work within them. 4 hours

History of the development of the different codes of ethics and standards of practice for medical interpreters

Why do we have many codes of ethics? And how to navigate our way through them? (With emphasis on the IMIA & the NCIHC codes of ethics)

The limitations of, and may be the need to revise, the codes of ethics for medical interpreters.

Module 3: The four different roles of medical interpreters & implications of each of them. 3 hours

Interpreter as a message conveyer: Direct conveying of messages from SL to TL and back. Best practices and limitations

Interpreter as a message clarifier: Adding clarification to the conveyed message. Be aware of "Transparency"

Interpreter as a cultural liaison: Beyond clarification and into cultural diversity and misconceptions.

Interpreter as an advocate: The most over-used and abused interpreter role. When to advocate? And why?

              Module 4: Sight translation (The 3 R's concept: re-think, re-structure,

              and re-phrase). 2 hours

How to strategize and how to time yourself?

Why is it important to read the paragraph fully in its SL as a first step?

The number one trap (i.e. producing a TL paragraph following the SL syntax), and how to avoid it?

Best practices, exercises, and peer-rating

Module 5: Consecutive interpreting including note taking and memory enhancement skills. 4 hours

Note taking: Best practices for what can, and what cannot, be written down

Memory skills: Human limitation of memory retention and the need to memorize ideas/meanings and not words

The 3 R's approach: A simplified version for the fast-paced consecutive mode

Best practices, exercises, and peer-rating

Module 6: Simultaneous interpreting (Decalage, coping mechanism, and strategy). 2 hours

How to strategize and how to time your decalage?

Special coping mechanism for simultaneous mode of interpreting

Best practices, exercises, and peer-rating

Module 7: Managing the interpreting session (Pre-session, during the session, and post-session) 2 hours

Pre-session interpreter's duties: Get to know your client(s), briefing, and a 15-second introduction

During the session interpreter's duties: Positioning and the limitations & variations of the patient-provider-interpreter triad, managing the communication flow between parties, and choosing the appropriate mode of interpreting

Post-session interpreter's duties: Follow up appointment scheduling, pharmacy, and proper interpreter paperwork processing. A final word on professional conduct

Module 8: Difficult situations in medical settings. 2 hours

Using case studies and published law suits (http://imiaweb.org/resources/legal.asp)

The decision- making process for medical interpreters

How to work within the different codes of ethics for medical interpreters and not upon them

Module 9: Communication styles, cultural diversity, and the need for cultural awareness for all health care workers. 4 hours

Intercultural conflict styles: Direst Vs. indirect & emotionally-restrained vs. emotionally-expressive

Generalization & stereotyping: Toward a better understanding of one another

Cultural liaison: How to better this role, and what are its limitations?

Module 10: Introduction to medical terminology (What you need to know about each body system), medical terminology specialization, equipment, and procedures. 10 hours

Overview of medical terminology: Roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Followed by (Quiz 1)

Circulatory System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 2)

Nervous System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 3)

Digestive System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 4)

Respiratory System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 5)

Urinary System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 6)

Male Reproductive System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 7)

Female Reproductive System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 8)

Musculoskeletal System: Special terminology, diseases & disorders, and procedures. Followed by (Quiz 9)

Cancer: Special terminology, stages & markers, and procedures

Medicine Cabinet: Medications groups & effects

Final Quiz

Module 11: Special medical settings & special considerations (Pediatrics, mental health, and ER). 2 hours

Special terminology and special considerations for these three unique settings

Coping mechanism for medical interpreters, interpreter fatigue, and interpreter self-care

How to navigate your way between consecutive and simultaneous modes, and why is it needed?

*Maximum enrollment is limited to 25 participants per session*

How should you register?

Please make a payment (above) and contact us at:

         Phone: (651) 330-2959

         Fax: (651) 330-2134, or

         Email: info@languageaccess1.com

 Copyright 2013 Language Access Consulting & Training, L.L.C. All rights reserved..

Maximum Enrollment is limited to 25 Participants per session

Instructor: Mohamad Anwar

• Born in Egypt

• Master’s degree in science (1995), CHI-Arabic  credential (2012), Certificate in Management Fundamentals in Health Care Organizations from the University of Minnesota (2012), IMIA Leadership Academy (2013), and a TRIN certificate from Century College (2014)

• Taught graduate classes, held different managerial positions in the medical interpreting field, and authored interpreters’ training materials including advanced training modules and two dictionaries

• Served on several boards of directors of national and local interpreter associations

• Provides healthcare consulting and training services nationwide and volunteers as a language professional at the American Red Cross and the Volunteer Lawyer Network of Minnesota