Minhua Liu, Adjunct Associate Professor at the Fu Jen University and GITI, in Taipei, Taiwan, and Sam Campisi, National Manager, Multicultural Service Branch, Centrelink, Australia, reported on the international work done by interpreter trade associations in other countries to carry out job analyses in order to compare standards around the world.

Armando Valles from the National Center for Interpretation Testing Research and Policy (NCI) at the University of Arizona also spoke to the audience of more than 100 industry stakeholders on the importance of training, testing and certification. Concluding the event were working sessions with various stakeholder task forces and presentations on how to extend the reach, acceptance and support for national medical interpreter certification.


The forum, initiated and sponsored by Language Line Services (LLS) in 2007 and 2008, enables without exclusion all stakeholders, subject matter experts and those interested in national medical interpreter certification a place and time to convene to hear from industry leaders and participate in discussions and roundtables without any cost to attend. The Forum was co-sponsored in 2009 by the International Medical Interpreters Association (IMIA) and PSI Services, a leading national testing and accreditation organization who organized the event jointly. Sponsors of this year's meeting also included the Medical Interpreter Network of Georgia (MING), the Nebraska Association of Translators and Interpreters (NATI), Cardinal Point, AHEC, Burg Translation Inc., and the Epilepsy Foundation.

The Coordinating Committee for the May 1st Forum reached out to past attendees, the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters, and the more than 800 Facebook supporters for their input on locations for the upcoming 2011 May 1st National Medical Interpreter Certification - Open Forum. It was decided that the 5th annual convening of the forum will be held in Southern California. Requests for registration information can be sent to may1st_nmic_forum@yahoo.com.

About National Medical Interpreter Certification Open Forum

The National Medical Interpreter Certification - Open Forum is an annual convening that brings together industry leaders and stakeholders, large and small, private and public, working together to collaborate with a specific focus on the topic of National Medical Interpreter Certification. The purpose of this initiative is to improve and support standardization of the quality of language services in our nation's health care institutions and to give every organization and individual a voice and opportunity to participate in an inclusive and transparent environment.

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