16 Feb Why is a medical translator essential?

Posted by - Rubén

A medical translator is essential for the health sector. Why? Because the sanitary area represents a delicate field where any detail must always be paid a careful attention. Details will make the difference between a good and a bad medical translation job. One representative medical translation agency – Okomeds – is always looking for assuring quality. And here are some points reinforcing the idea that a medical translation is vital for carrying said task.

Health is at stake

This is the key factor. The aim is to avoid potential misunderstandings. A bad translated word might mean a life-threatening issue or become a serious illness. So, for taking care of health, the presence of a good medical translator is essential.

5 essentials for defending the role of a medical translator

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Knowledge

Not anyone speaking a foreign language can do a good translation job, neither any translator can. That is because a good specialisation is required. Apart from a basis on medicine, the medical translator must have a comprehensive knowledge of the topic.

Convenience

Any patient will feel more confortable with a well-translated document. Imagine a leaflet translated in a bad way and with a difficult interpretation, what will the patient do? He or she may take a different dose, ignore the contraindications or will not know how to react to different side effects. And this can be really dangerous. The same idea can also be applied to the oral communication, with a medical interpreter; for example, a hearing doctor attending to a medical lecture full of non-senses and misunderstandings due to a bad medical interpretation.

Everyone wants to be in safe hands.

Attention to detail

A good medical translator always proofread, re-read and analyse what he or she has translated. Sometimes, it is easy to make mistakes, for example false friends can be tricky. But, a good lecture and analysis before finishing the work is key for assuring a good job. It reinforces the fact that attention to detail is essential for any medical translator.

Quality

To sum up all the previous ideas, a medical translator is essential because of quality. So, ease communication by offering a high quality service. This can be done thanks a medical translator, like those who work for Okomeds.

The role played by a medical translator is vital for health. All are advantages!