Diversity of Interpreter Education Nancy K. Esparza, M.Ed, CHES Central MA Area Health Education Center, Inc.

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Diversity of Interpreter Education Nancy K.
Esparza, M.Ed, CHESCentral MA Area Health
Education Center, Inc.

• First National Symposium for
• Medical Interpreter Trainers June 12, 2010
  Rutgers University

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Medical Interpreter Training ProgramPresentation
Overview

• History and Goals
• Statewide Initiative
• Funders
• Curriculum
• Course Overview
• Prerequisites
• Course Objectives
• Training Modules
• Instructors
• Teaching Methodologies
• Customized Trainings
• Assessment

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History and Goals

• The Medical Interpreter Training Program was
  created 11 years ago by UMASS Medical School,
  Office of Community Programs and the Area Health
  Education Centers
• Addresses several issues facing health care
  institutions with respect to communicating with
  the limited English proficient (LEP) patients.
• Anticipates/ Responds to shifting demographics
  and Refugee Resettlement in MA.
• Committed to offering job skills and
  opportunities for members of underserved
  communities.

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History and Goals

• Overarching Program Goal
• To improve the supply and distribution of health
  care professionals placing emphasis on providing
  primary health care services for underserved
  populations.

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Statewide Initiative

• Offered in all 6 state regions
• Total number of graduates since 1999 3,488
• Languages include
• Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese (Cantonese,
  Mandarin), Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Khmer,
  Polish, Nepali, Somali, French, Albanian, Haitian
  Creole, Portuguese Creole, Twi, Khran, Swahili,
  Burmese, Karen, Kirundi, Albanian, Bosnian,
  Italian
• Selected as one of the training curricula to be
  reviewed by the National Council on Interpreting
  in Healthcare Standards of Training
  Certification

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Funders

• Executive Office of Health and Human Services,
  Office of Medicaid, to support the MassHealth
  provider network and meet the needs of MassHealth
  Members.
• Executive Office of Health and Human Services
  has been committed to sponsoring the medical
  interpreter training program over the last
  several years to improve language access to
  health care for all of its participants.

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Curriculum

• Course Title Fundamentals of Medical
  Interpreting
• Course Hours 60 classroom hours (3 hour weekly
  sessions for 20 weeks). Plus optional 15 hours
  supervised, documented practicum experience.
• College Credit Bearing

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Languages of Most Recent Refugee Arrivals in
Massachusetts

• Country Language(s)

Iraq Arabic, Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Aramaic (Sabean-Mandaean), Sudanic languages, English
Burma Karen, Karenni, Chin, Kayah
Bhutan Dzongkha (official), Tibetan dialects (among Bhotes), Hindi, Nepali dialects (among Nepalese)
Somalia Somali, Kibajuni, Swahili, Chimwiini and Bantu plus
Haiti Haitian Creole
Burundi Kirundi and French (official), Swahili
Afghanistan Farsi
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Curriculum

• Course Description
• The goal of this course is to provide students
  with an understanding of the importance of
  Medical Interpreters and their role in promoting
  and ensuring access to quality health care. The
  course
• incorporates awareness of and respect for
  cultural perspectives
• explores the therapeutic relationship between
  patient and provider
• teaches effective communication skills to ensure
  understanding and enhance meaning during the
  health care encounter.

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Curriculum

• Course Prerequisites
• Proficiency and fluency in written and oral
  English
• Proficiency and fluency in English and at least
  one other language
• High School diploma or the equivalency
• Pass a Written and Oral Language Proficiency
  Examination created by UMASS in partnership with
  the AHEC Centers.

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Curriculum

• Course Objectives
• Describe and demonstrate adherence to the
  Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics of the
  International Medical Interpreters Association
  (IMIA) and the National Council on Interpreting
  in Health Care (NCIHC)
• Explain and apply each of the four main roles of
  the medical interpreter (conduit, clarifier,
  culture broker, patient advocate)

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Curriculum

• Course Objectives (continued)
• Acquire and use essential medical terminology and
  vocabulary in English and the target language
• Function effectively in the triadic encounter
  across multiple settings and
• Function effectively as an
• integral member of the health
• care team.

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Curriculum

• Training Modules
• Role of the Interpreter
• MMIA Standards of Practice
• Code of Ethics
• The Triadic Encounter
• Cultural Responsiveness
• U.S. Medical System

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Curriculum

• Medical Terminology by Systems

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Curriculum

• Instructors
• Lead instructors include a medical interpreter
  and a clinical presenter.
• Clinical presenters
• Medical Doctors
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• In addition, Language Coaches for each language
  represented in the
• training are used in the practice component of
  specific sessions.

U.S. Licensed
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Curriculum

• Teaching Methodologies
• Lecture
• Demonstration
• Class discussion
• Role play of triadic/quad encounters
• Reading assignments
• Supervised field-based practicum

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Assessment Methodology

• Observation and Feedback
• Instructors
• Language Coaches
• Peers/ Other Students
• Written Home Assignments
• Quizzes
• In Class Final Examination
• Written Components
• Oral Components
• Case Simulation

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Customized Trainings

• Additional training curricula has been developed
  for graduates of Fundamentals of Interpreting
• Mental Health Medical Interpreter Curriculum
• Fundamentals of Interpreting Train the Trainer
• Fundamentals of Interpreting Skill Building for
  Language Coaches

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Continuing Education OfferingsBased Upon the
Belief in the Importance of Ongoing Learning and
Professional GrowthHighlights

• Emergency Preparedness
• Mindfulness
• Oral Health

• HIV/AIDS
• End of Life Issues
• Diabetes

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Our Participants

• Diverse Educational Backgrounds
• Median Educational Level Bachelors Degree
• Range High School Diploma M.D.
• Diverse Professional Backgrounds
• Dual Role Employees (e.g., MAs, CNAs, lab
  technicians)
• Foreign Educated Professionals

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Central MA AHEC, Inc.

• Mission is dedicated to enhancing access to
  quality health care, promoting workforce
  development, and eliminating health disparities.
• A Member of the MassAHEC Network.

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Central MA AHEC, Inc.

• Highlights of CM AHEC Initiatives
• Medical Interpreter Training
• Language Link Interpreter Services
• Translation Bureau
• Outreach Worker Training Institute (OWTI)
• Community Health Worker Training Programs
• Patient Navigator Training Programs
• Community Based Training for Medical
  Professionals
• Community Based Participatory Research
• Specialized Health Disparities Initiatives

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Contact Information Nancy K. Esparza, M.Ed,
CHESCentral MA Area Health Education Center,
Inc.nkesparza_at_cmahec.orgwww.cmahec.org

• First National Symposium for
• Medical Interpreter Trainers June 12, 2010
  Rutgers University