Finger Lakes Community Health offers two different professional development programs that prepare bilingual individuals to work as medical interpreters: BTG Medical Interpreting and BTG Mental Health Interpreting.
The BTG Medical Interpreting course trains individuals to become competent medical interpreters and covers:
- Basic interpreting skills. Roles, conduit and clarifier interpreting, and managing the flow of the session.
- Code of Ethics for medical interpreters.
- Information on the U.S. healthcare system. Introduction to healthcare systems.
- Medical terminology. Anatomy, physiology and basic medical procedures.
- Culture in interpreting. Self-awareness, traditional healthcare in specific communities, and cultural brokering.
- Communication skills for advocacy. Listening skills, communication styles, and appropriate advocacy.
BTG is taught in English and is open to bilingual speakers of all languages. Do you want to attain national certification as a medical interpreter? The BTG 40 and 64hr courses qualify as prerequisites for the national certifications provided by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) and the Certification Commission for Health Care Interpreters (CCHI).
Tuition for the BTG Medical Interpreting is $750 (includes the $150 non-refundable fee). Limited scholarships are also available for agencies that serve agricultural workers. All courses are hybrid. The first and last dates of each course are in-person in Geneva, NY. The remaining dates are remote by WebEx. For information on scholarships or to request an application form, contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.
*Please note: In order to take the BTG Medical Interpreter course, you must be 18 years of age or older and have a high-school diploma (or equivalent) and proof of language proficiency in English and one other language that you will be interpreting in.
Upcoming BTG Medical Interpreting courses:
- September 2024: Class will meet on 9/4, 9/5, 9/10, 9/12, 9/17, 9/19, 9/24, 9/26 and 10/1 in Geneva, NY (40 Hour Course)
- April 2025: Class will meet on 4/1, 4/8, 4/10, 4/15, 4/17, 4/22, 4/24 and 4/29 in Geneva, NY (40 Hour Course)
- Additional sessions may be available for groups of 6 people or more. Please contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.
The BTG Mental Health Interpreting course trains interpreters specifically for the mental health setting and covers:
- Terminology related to mental health.
- Challenges in mental health interpreting.
- Mental health interpreting techniques.
- Impact of culture on mental health.
- Interpreter self-care.
- Practice interpreting skills.
BTG is taught in English and is open to bilingual speakers of all languages who have already taken the 40hr or 64hr course.
Tuition for Bridging The Gap Mental Health Interpreting is $500 (includes the $150 non-refundable fee). Limited scholarships are also available for agencies that serve agricultural workers. All courses are hybrid. The first and last dates of each course are in-person. The remaining dates are remote by WebEx. For information on scholarships or to request an application form, contact Beverly at BeverlyS@flchealth.org.
*Please note: In order to take the BTG Mental Health course, you must be 18 years of age or older, have a high-school diploma (or equivalent), and provide proof of successful completion of the 40-hour Medical Interpreting course.
Upcoming Mental Health Interpreting courses:
• November 2024: Classes will meet 11/4, 11/5, 11/6, 11/7, 11/8, and 11/11 from 8am-12pm in Geneva, NY (24 Hour Course)
• November 2025: Classes will meet 11/3, 11/4, 11/5, 11/6, 11/7, and 11/10 from 8am-12pm in Geneva, NY (24 Hour Course)
