Level 1: Qualified Interpreter

• Final assessment: 75% or above
• ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview: Superior or Advanced High

Level 2: Professionally Trained Interpreter

• Final assessment: 75% or above
• ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview: Advanced Mid or Advanced Low

Level 3: Hospitality Interpreter

• Final assessment: 75% or above
• ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview: Intermediate High  

Is the community interpreter program focused on medical or health interpreting?

• The Community Interpreter certificate program was designed to generally address any one or all of three target audiences: medical/health, education and/or social services interpreters. In the future, medical-specific terminology and interpreting trainings/classes may be offered.

Can I use the certificate I earn for this program to apply for national medical interpreter certification in the U.S. through CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters) or IMIA (International Medical Interpreters Association)/NBCMI (National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters)?

• Yes!

After I take the program, will I be certified? Some interpreters say they are “certified.” Is there a difference between qualified and certified interpreters?

• A training program certificate is not the same as certification. In fact, in the U.S. the certificate for a 40-plus-hour training program is a prerequisite to apply for national medical interpreter certification. In The Community Interpreter Certificate Program, we teach you about the difference between a certificate and certification. Good training is the beginning of certification, not the end, because after training you will need to take the written and oral exams of a properly credentialed certification program to become certified. A certified interpreter is an interpreter who is certified as competent by a professional organization or government entity through rigorous testing based on appropriate and consistent criteria. Some programs offer a certificate of completion, but this does not equal certification. A qualified interpreter is an individual who has been assessed for professional skills, demonstrates a high level of proficiency in at least two languages, and has the appropriate training and experience to interpret with skill and accuracy while adhering to the National Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice published by the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care.

Why are participants required to take a language proficiency test? Why is language proficiency so important?

• Many interpreters fail to realize that they lack adequate language skills to interpret accurately and that they should not interpret at all. Interpreters who are not adequately fluent in their working languages can make many errors that lead to problems such as misunderstandings, misdiagnoses, lawsuits and even death.

What is the difference between a professional community interpreter and a multilingual individual?

• A multilingual individual is a person who has some degree of proficiency in two or more languages. A high level of multilingualism is the most basic of the qualifications of a competent interpreter, but by itself does not ensure the ability to interpret. A multilingual employee may provide direct services in both languages but, without additional training, is not qualified to serve as an interpreter.

What is the difference between “interpretation” and “translation”?

• In popular usage, the terms “translator” and “translation” are frequently used for the conversion of either oral OR written communications. However, within the language professions, translation is distinguished from interpreting according to whether the message is produced orally (interpreting) or in writing (translation).