# Medical Interpreter jobs and career guide

Category: Front Office & Administration
Page: https://medroles.com/roles/medical-interpreter/
Also called: Healthcare Interpreter, Spanish Medical Interpreter, Bilingual Interpreter, Language Access Specialist

Medical interpreters help patients and providers understand each other during visits, explaining symptoms, diagnoses and instructions accurately and confidentially.

## Typical US pay
$40k–$65k per year (approximate, entry level to experienced).

## What they do
- Interpret between patients and providers in person, by phone or video
- Sight-translate forms, consents and discharge instructions
- Keep interpretation accurate, complete and confidential
- Flag cultural issues that could affect care

## Key skills
- Fluency in English and another language
- Medical terminology
- Interpreter ethics
- HIPAA
- Note-taking

## Training
Fluency in English and another language plus at least 40 hours of medical interpreter training. Many interpreters start as bilingual front desk staff or medical assistants.

## Licensing & certifications
Certification is voluntary in most states but widely preferred: Certified Healthcare Interpreter (CHI) or CoreCHI from CCHI, or Certified Medical Interpreter (CMI) from NBCMI.

## Open jobs (0)
None posted right now.