Professional Preparation for ASL/English Medical Interpreters

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Professional Preparation for ASL/English Medical
Interpreters

• Karen Malcolm
• Douglas College
• New Westminster, BC

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Interpreting in Medical Settings

• Continuing Education
• Douglas College

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Overview of Presentation

• History of program establishment
• Program model and delivery
• Course content
• Challenges
• Program revisions
• Suggestions for future programs

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History of Program Establishment

• Eldridge decision, 1997
• Medical Interpreting Services established
• Interim list of qualified interpreters
• Development of screening tool

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Program Establishment

• Dept. of Sign Language Interpretation
• Centre for Curriculum, Transfer and Technology
• Panel of experts interpreters, Deaf community
  members, medical experts

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Program Model

• Five modules
• Medical Discourse and the Medical System
• ASL for Medical Settings, Part I
• ASL for Medical Settings, Part II
• Interpreting in Medical Settings, Part I
• Interpreting in Medical Settings, Part II
• 30 hours instruction for each

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Program Model

• Three instructors hearing interpreter, Deaf
  interpreter/ASL instructor, MIS coordinator (also
  Deaf)
• Taking all five courses waived test fee for
  screening
• Students received letter of completion

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Delivery Model

• On-line for medical discourse
• Face to face for other four courses two weekends
  per course
• Summer intensive two weeks, 6 hours per day

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Students

• Graduates of recognized interpreter preparation
  program
• Two years experience
• Many already working in medical settings

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Course Content

• Medical Discourse and the Medical System
• English major physiological systems with related
  terminology
• Review of Greek/Latin roots useful in determining
  meaning
• Discourse genre used by medical practitioners

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Part I, ASL and Interpreting

• Orientation to the hospital setting
• Anatomy and physiology in ASL
• Physical exams
• Pregnancy and obstetrics
• Intestinal disorders
• Ethics and values clarification
• Compassion
• Logistics
• Medication

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Part II, ASL and Interpreting

• Cardiology
• Diabetes
• Oncology
• Depression/mental health
• HIV/AIDS
• ER
• Minority populations
• Pain
• Informed consent
• Sight translation

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Materials and Resources

• Skeleton
• Anatomical models
• Videos
• Live models

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What we learned

• Students are weak in visual representation in ASL
• Logistics and assertiveness are important
• Interpreters need to go beyond the form of the
  message
• Consecutive interpretation practice is vital

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Challenges

• Development of teaching materials
• Updating curriculum
• Student recruitment
• Cost
• Credential awarded
• Ability to work without taking the program
• Small number of potential students

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Program modifications

• Not offering Medical Discourse courseencouraged
  students to take elsewhere
• Reduction in hours for ASL and interpreting (from
  30 hours to 15)
• Programming in summer intensive
• Trainers traveling to other cities

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Suggestions for future directions

• Increase on-line delivery
• Tie credential to employment/payment
• Seek funding for curriculum revision and
  materials development
• Mentor new educators to deliver curriculum

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Conclusion

• Strengths
• -recognition of ASL skills needed, and the
  teaching approaches that provide this instruction
• -teaching interpreting approaches that are
  successful in medical settings
• -development of teaching materials that support
  instruction

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Conclusion

• Challenges
• -student recruitment
• -curriculum revision
• -materials development

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Any questions?

• Thank you!

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