Janel Nelson becomes a certified medical interpreter!

Congratulations to SWITS interpreter, Janel Nelson, on her recent achievement!

Janel is now a Certified Medical Interpreter. She has been interpreting with SWITS since 2012. We applaud her commitment to providing quality interpreting services to Wisconsin and Illinois. We asked her to answer some questions about her interpreting history and experiences, and here is what she had to say!

1. Why did you decide to become an interpreter?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by foreign languages. The more experience I got in the workplace, the more I realized that I didn’t want a job in which my bilingual skills simply came in handy. I wanted to use my bilingual skills every day and in an important way.

2. How did you acquire your language skills?
I started with a Spanish class in seventh grade. At that time, one of my sisters had just married a Mexican American living in Rockford, IL, and I developed a close friendship with a foreign exchange student from Mexico. These factors helped give me a good foundation from the start and spurred my interest. I continued taking Spanish classes throughout high school and college, visited my sisters and their families in Mexico several times, and studied in Costa Rica.

3. Do you have any advice for aspiring interpreters?
My advice is to read broadly and study a wide variety of subjects in both your native language and your second language. Practice interpreting aloud (with another person if possible). Do memory-building exercises that include visualization. When listening to the radio or watching television, try to interpret into the other language. When a term comes up that you don’t know, look it up and write it down.

4. What is the most difficult part of your position as an interpreter?
The most difficult part is when providers, patients or family members misunderstand the role of the interpreter.

5. What is most rewarding about being an interpreter?
It is most rewarding when I am able to help clarify a miscommunication between provider and patient, thereby avoiding a potentially negative outcome and facilitating a positive one instead.

6. What surprised you most about interpreting when you began interpreting professionally?
I was surprised by the large number of Limited English Proficient patients that access the health care system every day.

7. Now that you have accomplished certification, what are your next professional goals?
I would like to become a certified translator through the American Translators Association, although, I’ve heard that the test is almost impossible to pass.

8. How do you manage your personal ethics and professional ethics as an interpreter?
I continually study the Medical Interpreter Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. When a difficult situation arises, I analyze it to see which principles are involved, and I try to choose the best course of action.

9. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I play piano and ocarina and sing. I also like to watch “El Chavo del Ocho” (an old Mexican television program) and Cuban movies.

10. Favorite type of music, favorite book, favorite movie, favorite food, something else personal you’d like to share?

Favorite Music: Jazz, Blues, Country, Folk, Rock-n-Roll, and Classical.
Favorite Book: “When I Was Puerto Rican” by Esmeralda Santiago.
Movie: “Impromptu” (a period drama based on the life and music of Frederic Chopin)
Food: Tofu with mixed vegetables