Serving their community through translation

It seems so long ago and at the same time just yesterday – October 2021 – that Utah welcomed and resettled roughly 1,000 refugees from Afghanistan, the majority of them settling along the Wasatch Front. Over the years the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) recognized the need for translators especially in the medical field. Five members of the Afghan community stepped up to fulfill that call completing the first ever Medical Interpreter for Pashto and Dari program and become eligible for the Tier 2 interpreter license. 

This short-term licensure training is based on a Medical Interpreter course for Arabic developed by Salt Lake Community College and DWS. With the foundation for a new program already in place, DWS, SLCC and current Dari/Pashto Instructor Abdul translated the existing curriculum to best serve the Afghan community. One of Abdul’s biggest challenges was the lack of a written dictionary for Pashto or Dari. To solve this problem, he used his contacts in the medical field to assist with the translations. As a group, they decided to use Arabic words for untranslatable English words—thus bringing multiple languages together in the service of one goal.  

Students met twice a week at the Utah Refugee Center 

Abdul said he was happy to put in the effort because he understands what a great need this is for the Afghan community. “It is important especially for women to become interpreters,” said Abdul. Recent graduate Saida echoed this sentiment. She said that women, especially in their culture, are not comfortable sharing with a male doctor or interpreter. This opportunity helps women receive proper medical care; it also allows women to be independent. 

“Everyone has the right to understand what is going on with them medically.” - Saida

Saida was excited to join the program once she heard about it from DWS, in part due to personal experience. When a translator of her language was not available at one of her father’s medical appointments, they located a Persian translator instead: “Luckily, I knew my father’s medical history and English, so I was able to help,” Saida said.

Saida’s interpreting program classmates included a father-daughter team, Mohammad and Zarpana. Each of whom previously worked in the medical field in their home country. Zarpana commended DWS for the creation and responsiveness of this program. She plans to work as an interpreter while she studies for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). 

As of graduation, all five students had passed the course and are eligible to apply for their Tier 2 license as a Medical Interpreter through Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).

All 5 students who passed the Medical Interpreter course.

 DWS and SLCC are proud to train interpreters to serve their communities. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Medical Interpreter, please contact the Utah Refugee Center.