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4 steps to finding the right medical translation provider

By Tarli Cameron | April 14, 2021 | Translation Tips

4 steps to finding the right medical translation provider

Accurate medical translation is essential to patient care, health and wellbeing, and impacts us all. The complexity of medical documents requires linguists who are well versed in industry terms and have many years of sector experience under their belts.

So, where do you start to find a medical translation supplier who you can entrust with your project?

We’ve listed four steps to finding the right language service provider, so you can be confident your patient communications are translated with accuracy, efficiency and authenticity.

 

1. Look for specialist linguists

As we mentioned above, medical document translation requires linguists who have a sound knowledge and understanding of medical language and terminologies. So you’ll want to look for a translation company that uses specialist linguists who have a minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in healthcare translation, preferably with a medical translation qualification. When the stakes are so high, specialist experience is crucial.

 

2. Source mother-tongue translators

As every language is unique, you will require a translator working into their native language who is expert in the nuances of not only the target language but also the source language. In addition, having an in-depth knowledge of the culture of a country provides superior understanding when it comes to accurately translating medical documents. That’s why we recommend you choose a translation agency that uses mother-tongue linguists.

 

3. Qualifications are key

Before you commit to a translation agency, be sure to check that the linguists who work on your project have successfully undergone independent assessment. They should also hold at least one of the following qualifications:

  • An Honours degree in the relevant language and / or a degree in translation (or in the UK, a Level 7 qualification in translation, such as CloL diploma in translation)
  • A Masters level qualification in translation
  • A recognised postgraduate qualification in translation

 

4. Quality assurance

Quality assurance is almost as important in translation as it is in medicine, which is why you should look for a translation company that offers an ISO 17100:2015-certified translation and revision service. As the gold standard in translation quality, this certification means you benefit from additional quality control. For an ISO-certified project, in addition to translation by a professional linguist, you will also get separate translation proofreading (full revision) by a second, equally qualified linguist.

 

We can help

If you want a professional translation company who ticks all four boxes, please get in touch with us.

With nearly three decades of experience in medical translation, we pride ourselves on delivering grammatically-accurate, technically-precise and culturally-authentic translations. By combining our global network of handpicked specialist translators, market-leading technology and expert Project Managers, we ensure you receive flawless translations and a seamless end-to-end service.