We work with individuals who come from different backgrounds, countries, and languages. These individuals want to use their language and culture to help people who speak their language navigate the US healthcare system. They are motivated primarily by the desire to help their own community.

The General Healthcare Interpreting 40-Hour Program is designed for native speakers of non-English languages who aim to work in their community.

What is a native speaker of a non-English language?

A native speaker is a person who grew up speaking the non-English language, AND has attended elementary school and high school in a country where the native language is spoken.

To be considered a native speaker, the person needs to be able to speak, read, and write fluently in the native language at a high school level.

For example, let's say, Irina grew up in the Ukraine and attended elementary and high school where the language of instruction was Russian. Therefore, she is considered a native speaker of Russian. Irina may also speak Ukrainian at home, however, she did not attend a school where Ukrainian was the language of instruction. In her case, she is considered to be a heritage speaker of the Ukrainian language.

If you are a native speaker of a non-English language and you would like to receive a comprehensive professional training that prepares you to work in hospitals, medical centers, medical specialties and for complex diseases and procedures, you should sign up for the Professional 60-Hour Program.

 

 

For individuals whose first language is not English, you can expect:

• A strong foundation of medical concepts in English.

• You will gain an understanding of the disease process instead of just memorizing random words. By understanding what you are interpreting, you can interpret more accurately into the target language.

• Medical terminology is a language on its own. You will improve your listening skills of medical terms through our video presentations and specially designed exercises to help you comprehend, retain, and recall medical concepts.

• You will learn not only the meaning of medical concepts, but also the correct pronunciation and their usage so you can identify and understand the terms when you hear them in the clinical setting.

• You will practice pronouncing and explaining medical terms correctly.

• You will be able to apply what you have learned in medical scenarios, from basic to complex medical conditions and procedures.

• As a native speaker of a non-English language, you will complete a Baseline Knowledge Worksheet so you can identify what we expect that you should already know in your native language. You will then take the opportunity to work on the gaining the baseline knowledge that you need to be successful in the program.

• You will be expected to use your baseline knowledge to explain the concepts that you have learned in the English section into your native language, by completing learning activities such as written assignments, oral assignments, short projects, and brief medical scenarios.

• You will have the benefit of attending coaching and practice sessions in English where the Culture Advantage mentors give you real-time feedback.

• Depending on your Program Plan, language-specific resources and translations of major medical concepts may be included in Part 2 of the program. (Language-specific course, such as presentations, audios, worksheets,etc. are not incuded.)
• Since we expect that students are native speakers of the non-English language, in Part 2 of the program, you will submit oral/written/video translations based on your translations of major concepts from Part 1. We will work with you on completing these requirements in a format that would work or you and that we could evaluate for accuracy.

The General HCI Program is designed to be completed in 9 weeks.

After 9 weeks, you may request an additional 3 weeks free extension to make up for the days that you were not able to log in, or had Internet problems/technical issues, etc.

So you have a total of 12 weeks access.

What about if I need more time (i.e. more than 12 weeks)?

After 12 weeks, then you would need to sign up for monthly Extension (Extra Fee) which is currently $90.00 per month.

Learning Plan

In the table below, you will see the Learning Plan for each course of the program.

To support the natural progression and mastery of the concepts, there are three courses that need to be completed consecutively.

Medical Concepts Course in English is the first part. This is Part 1 of the program. By mastering the foundational medical concepts in English, you would be more prepared to take the course in the non-English language.

After you complete this course, you will take the Medical Concepts Course in the non-English language, which is Part 2 of the program. The requirement for the General Healthcare Interpreter Program is native language proficiency in the non-English language. You will be expected to demonstrate high level of knowledge and ability to speak and explain concepts in the non-English language fluently and with accuracy.

After successful completion of Part 2 (Language-specific), you would take the Medical Interpreting Concepts and Skills (Part 3) course, integrating your medical knowledge base in both languages into consecutive interpreting, sight translation, simultaneous interpreting, while adhering to standards, ethics, role boundaries of medical interpreters. Your learning activities are submitted in both languages.

You would be able to take the Comprehensive Final Evaluation after completing all the 3 courses successfully. 

 

COURSES	DESCRIPTION	DURATION
Part 1 Core Curriculum English	English Foundation of Medical Concepts: Understanding anatomy and the disease process. Section 1 Section 2 (Two practice/coaching sessions are included. You may attend up to 4 free sessions.)	3 to 4 Weeks
Part 2 Core Curriculum  - Language 2	Language-Specific    Language-specific Translations of Major Medical Concepts Students only submit assignments of written and verbal translations of major medical concepts. (Language-specific course, such as presentations, audios, worksheets,etc. are not incuded.) Suggested resources may be provided for major languages. One session, which is non-language-specific session, is required with Marlene. (Language-specific Practice/Coaching not included. You may sign up for language-specific Private Coaching Session.)	3 to 4 Weeks
Part 3 Core Competencies	Professional Medical Interpreting Concepts and Skills Integrating what you have learned in the first two courses into interpreter decision-making while interpreting accurately in both languages during clinical scenarios. (Two practice/coaching sessions are included. You may attend up to 4 free sessions.)	3 to 4 Weeks
Comprehensive Final Evaluation	There are three parts: (Depending your Program Plan) Medical Concepts and Standards Sight Translation/Consecutive Interpreting in Both Languages Live, Oral Skills Evaluation (Simulation of a clinically-authentic scenario in both languages.)	The CFE is to be reserved in advance when Module 1 is completed. The date may be reserved up to 30 days in advance.

 

We offer different payment options to fit your budget.

Payment Options

1. Prepaid Payment Option

$595.00 first payment covers Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

Plus Final Evaluation Fee is $100.00 to be paid when reserving the final evaluation (when you get to Part 3.).

Total: $695.00

2. Per Month Payment Option

$250.00 first month.

$250.00 second month.

$250.00 third month.

Plus Final Evaluation Fee is $100.00 to be paid when reserving the final evaluation (when you get to Part 3.).

3. Weekly Payment Plan

(You need pre-approval to sign up for this option.)

$150.00 first payment.

$50.00 per week for 14 weeks.

Plus Final Evaluation Fee is $100.00 to be paid when reserving the final evaluation (when you get to Part 3.).

Are you ready to start?

You may start on the same day of registration, or you may request to start on a specific date.

Please click SUBMIT to proceed to the Registration Payment Page.

(If you are not ready to start, please click Submit and we will follow up with you and provide assistance as needed. Thank you.)