AALB is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization
All fees are used to advance our charitable mission of improving the quality of life of those with language barriers.
All fees are used to advance our charitable mission of improving the quality of life of those with language barriers.
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Become a medical interpreter by earning your certificate of training 100% online, learning directly from the leaders in the profession. Earning your certificate qualifies you to sit for the optional National Certification Exam from both certifying bodies, CCHI and NBCMI.
Americans Against Language Barriers is the first and only interpreter training program to receive the the Distinction in Education Award from the International Medical Interpreters Association.
Approved by CCHI & NBCMI
To qualify for this training, you will need to be:
• Fluent in English
• Fluent in at least one other language
Your fluency in English and a second language will be evaluated upon registration, which is required before the first day of class.
In addition to fluency requirements, you will need to have a computer with a stable internet connection, a webcam, and a high-quality microphone. No previous medical experience is required.
Payment Plans Available for Everyone:
$196 per Month for 5 Months
Note: Payment plans can be longer than the class itself; the certificate of training will be provided upon full payment.
The total cost includes a test in English and a second language of your choice. Fluency in English and at least 1 non-English language is required; all languages are accepted. If you are found to be not fluent, you will receive a full refund minus a $50 testing fee.
Not sure if you're fluent enough to be a medical interpreter? You can choose to take your language screening BEFORE registration by paying a 50 USD deposit towards your total registration fee. Click HERE.
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AALB's course instructors are chosen after a rigorous selection process for their extensive experience, accomplishments, and teaching excellence. They are all professional and experienced medical interpreters who have exceptional teaching ability and uphold the highest standards of our profession.
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Darren Reed started his career in bilingual settings 15 years ago. He is a nationally certified Spanish language medical interpreter as well as a state-screened American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter. After graduating from an interpreter training program at a local junior college, Darren started his own private practice as a trilingual interpreter. He volunteers his time with several professional interpreter organizations. Darren is a licensed interpreter trainer, licensed cultural competency trainer, and an internship supervisor. He also holds an Advanced Certificate in TESOL and Second Language Acquisition Methodology. He loves helping new interpreters find their footing.
Kelly (Grzech) Henriquez is a certified Spanish medical interpreter in Richmond, Virginia. She attended Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), where she obtained her bachelor's degree in foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish, and also completed VCU's Spanish-English Translation and Interpretation (SETI) program. At VCU, she discovered her passion for interpreting & advocating for limited English proficiency patients, especially for mental health.
Kelly has been working as a freelance interpreter in both clinical and mental health settings since 2016. She has previously worked for VCU's Enhanced Teaching Practice clinic. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kelly has been producing medical interpreter educational materials, including informative content to improve the mental health training of medical interpreters as well as self-care resources for medical interpreters. She is also a staunch advocate for LGBTQ language access especially as it pertains to mental health.
Kevin is a professional Gujarati interpreter who co-founded AALB in 2018, driven by a commitment to facilitate access to qualified interpreter services for free clinics. Since its inception, under Kevin's leadership, AALB has transformed into an award-winning interpreter training organization, dedicated to breaking down language barriers and enhancing the quality of life for individuals facing linguistic challenges. With a Master of Public Health from Emory University, specializing in Health Policy and Management, and extensive experience as an interpreter, Kevin plays a dual role in our nonprofit organization. He not only leads our day-to-day operations but also shares his wealth of knowledge by providing interpreter training to our students, furthering our mission to serve communities effectively.
Marisa Rueda Will, CHI is a Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) Commissioner and has been a medical interpreter at a major U.S. medical center for over 18 years. She became a Certified Healthcare Interpreter-Spanish in 2012, and a licensed interpreter trainer in 2017. In 2020, she became a simulation center instructor.
She is a member of the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care (NCIHC) Webinars Work Group. She has provided interpreter training workshops for the NCIHC, CHIA, and ATA. Marisa is currently getting her Master’s in Interpreting Studies at Western Oregon University.
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Mireya Pérez began her career as a certified medical interpreter and has since gained over a decade of experience breaking down language barriers in healthcare and education. After honing her skills as a medical interpreter in both a general and children's hospital, Mireya spent nearly a decade as a staffed interpreter in a K-12 public education school district, where she championed the vital role of trained interpreters in education. Today, Mireya is the proud creator and host of the Brand the Interpreter podcast, where she shares the stories and perspectives of language professionals from around the world. With a Master's degree in Communications and a passion for topics like creativity, personal branding, and strategic communication management within the interpreting industry, Mireya is committed to continue elevating the voices and stories of language professionals worldwide.
Olga Bogatova, MSc, is a Russian language interpreter and translator based in San Francisco, California. She is certified as a medical interpreter by both CCHI and NBCMI. The bulk of her daily work is dedicated to the medical and legal needs of the new Russian-speaking immigrants to California.
Born and raised near Moscow, Russia, Olga earned her Master's degree in Biology and Diploma in Translation in 2010. She then moved to California and started working as a language service provider. In 2014, Olga earned a Certificate of Health Care Interpretation from the City College of San Francisco and became certified two years later.
Olga presented a talk at the International Medical Interpreters Association conference in 2018 about the challenges of medical interpretation for Russian-speaking immigrants. At the 2019 California Healthcare Interpreting Association meeting, Olga presented about her experiences interpreting for the elderly. She additionally spoke about medical interpretation at the professional platforms of the Northern California Translators Association and California Healthcare Interpreter Association in 2020.
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Robin Ragan, PhD, is professor of Spanish at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois. She has a PhD in Hispanic literature from the University of Illinois-Urbana. Dr. Ragan has lived in Spain and Argentina intermittently for over 25 years. She has spent most of her time in Barcelona, Spain. She has taught Spanish at the university level for over twenty years and has traveled abroad with her students to many countries, including Mexico and Guatemala. For the past five years, she has been teaching language translation and interpretation, including medical interpretation.
Dr. Ragan is an experienced, CMI-credentialed Spanish language interpreter. She offers her time pro bono to interpret for non-governmental organizations helping asylum seekers at the United States-Mexico border. In 2020, the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages awarded Dr. Ragan the Global Engagement Initiative Award, and the Modern Languages Association awarded her a Humanities Innovation Grant. Dr. Ragan has recently published an article in the American Translator's Association Chronicle entitled, "Going All In to Help Asylum Seekers at the U.S.-Mexico Border".
Tram Bui is a Vietnamese refugee who came to the United States when she was 6 years old. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Ecology and pre-law from the University of California, Irvine. She is a Vietnamese language NBCMI certified medical interpreter, and has been working in the field for 16 years. Before interpreting, she taught 2nd and 3rd graders in the Riverside Unified School District, and later taught English as a Second Language for 5 years in Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, Arizona. She has been a Member-at-Large and later served as Vice President of Arizona Translators and Interpreters, Inc. She is a voting member of the American Translators Association.
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Yuliya Speroff is a Russian-English CoreCHI and WA DSHS-certified medical and social services interpreter based in Seattle, Washington. Yuliya first started interpreting over 10 years ago in her hometown of Novosibirsk, Russia, and has since interpreted in a variety of settings—from a fighter jet factory to a live brain surgery operating room. Most recently, she has been interpreting for several hospitals in Seattle, Washington.
Yuliya holds Master's degree in Business Management and is certified as both an English and a Russian language instructor with more than a decade of experience in teaching medical interpreters.
Yuliya is passionate about the medical interpretation profession as well as improving language access for patients with limited English proficiency. She has shared this passion by teaching continuing education workshops and training courses for healthcare interpreters as well as by her writings in The Medical Interpreter Blog, which focuses on providing medical interpreters with resources and information for continuous professional development. In addition, Yuliya shares useful resources and relevant news in her Facebook group, Interpreters and Translators in Washington State, which welcomes interpreters and translators working in the Pacific Northwest to share resources, ask questions, and find support.
A: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators employed by a hospital earned a average salary of $63,080 in 2023. As a part of your training, we will teach you how to leverage your credentials to maximize your earning potential. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top 10% of translators and interpreters earn over $97,100. Numerous variables impact hourly pay, including geographic location, education, language combination, individual skills and ability, experience, and more.
A: Medical interpreters are needed in a wide array of settings. As a qualified medical interpreter, you will be able to work for hospitals, physicians offices, pharmacies, and other healthcare settings throughout the United States. You can choose to work from home, in-person, or a combination of the two. Upon graduation, you will receive a list of companies that we recommend that you apply to.
A: All students must be proficient in English and at least one other language to demonstrate proficiency in a second language, passing a Dual-Language Proficiency Screening Test is required as part of the application process. Once you submit your application fee, you will be emailed the link to complete a self-paced proficiency screening. All languages are welcome, as the class is taught in English and students use their second language when they practice interpreting. A high-speed internet connection with a computer, a microphone, & a webcam are also required to participate in class.
A: If you do not pass your English or non-English proficiency screening, you may elect to either retake the screening or receive a refund. There will be a language testing fee of $50 applied to any refunds that are issued. If you fail to take your proficiency tests before the start of class, your seat cannot be replaced and therefore a refund cannot be issued.
A: The demand for medical interpreters is quite high due to laws that require hospitals and other healthcare entities that receive federal funding to provide their limited-English patients with qualified medical interpreters. It has been determined that hospitals that fail to provide limited-English patients with qualified medical interpreters, and instead depend on unqualified interpreters such as untrained family members or bilingual staff, are legally discriminating against the patient and therefore may be held financially liable for damages. Therefore, the use of medical interpreters is quite widespread, and there are millions upon millions of Americans that utilize medical interpreters on a regular basis.
A: We welcome students of all languages. During the course, the instructors will deliver lectures in English, and you will have 10 hours of scheduled practice time to develop your interpreting skills in both English and your second language through simulated medical appointments. This will provide you with an opportunity to apply the concepts learned during the lecture.
A: All course instructors are subject-matter experts, healthcare providers, and experienced professional medical interpreters. Course instructors may vary from class to class, and may be subject to change based on the composition of the class. This is a language neutral training, therefore the languages spoken by your instructors will also vary, but all lectures will be taught in English. You can read more about each of our course instructors in the Course Instructors section.
A: Please click here to read through the policies and procedures, they will help orient you towards the structure of the course and will answer most of the questions you may have.
A: Our policies and procedures include detailed refund guidelines. Please review them carefully before enrolling. Refunds are not available once classes have started, as your seat cannot be filled by another student after that point. If you choose a payment plan, you are responsible for completing all scheduled payments, even if you decide to stop attending classes. We recognize that unexpected life circumstances can arise. As a one-time courtesy, our team may allow students to defer their enrollment to a future class upon request. This deferment is granted at our discretion.
A: If you still have a question after reading the detailed policies and procedures, please contact us directly.
This curriculum is subject to change, as needed, to best realize the educational goals of the course.
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Orientation & Introduction
Introduction to Interpretation in a Healthcare Setting
Overview of the U.S. Healthcare System
Modes of Interpretation
Managing an Interpreting Encounter
Medical Interpreter Ethics I
Interpreter Practice Session 1
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Medical Interpreter Ethics II
Sight Translation Intensive
Roles of a Medical Interpreter
Language Access Laws & Regulations
Linguistic Equivalency
Memory Development
Interpreter Practice Sessions 2, 3, & 4
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Introduction to Note-taking
Medical Terminology Management
Medical Interpreter Ethics III
Introduction to Cultural Competency & CLAS
Introduction to Interpreting in Mental Health
Note-taking Practice Session
Vicarious Trauma Among Medical Interpreters
Interpreter Practice Sessions 5 & 6
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Introduction to Interpreting in Pediatrics
Introduction to Interpreting in Oncology
Cultural Mediation Scenarios
Get Certified! (What is Certification?)
Exam Training - CCHI & NBCMI
Mediums of Interpretation (In-person, VRI, OPI)
Business of Medical Interpreting
Interpreter Practice Sessions 7, 8, & 9
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Self-paced study material, including:
Pre-recorded lectures
Required readings
Introduction to Medical Etymology
Introduction to Medications
Introductions to Organs and Organ Systems
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The final week of class will focus on reviewing everything we learned in class and then preparing for the final exam. The final exam will be entirely written, consisting of free response, multiple choice, and true/false questions. Students must score an 80% or above on the final exam to earn their certificate. If students do not pass their final exam on the first attempt, they will be allowed to study and take it a second time.
