Bridging the Gap courses

Learn the necessary skills and best practices to become a qualified medical interpreter through lecture-based lessons, interactive role plays, case studies, and group discussions.

What’s included

Books

You will receive a copy of our Bridging the Gap textbook, a bilingual medical glossary, and either a mental health glossary (for the 64-hour BTG course) or a Guide to Common Medications (for the 40-hour BTG course). These will all be electronic books.

Knowledge and Skills

Basic interpreting skills, interpreter roles, codes of ethics, medical terminology, United States health care system, cultural brokering, communication skills & professional development.

Certificate of Completion

At the end of the course, participants receive a signed and individually numbered certificate of successful completion after passing the final exam with a score of 70% or higher. This certificate does not expire and is widely accepted across the country as the gold standard for medical interpreter training.

Upcoming classes

  • December

    40 hour virtual course.

    December 8-12 (8am-4pm MST)

    Register before Nov 10: $600

    Cost $650

  • February

    40 hour virtual course.

    February 17-21 (9am-5pm MST)

    Register before Jan 20: $600

    Cost: $650

  • April

    40 hour virtual course.

    April 21 - 25 & April 28 - May 2 (8am-12pm MST)

    Register before March 24: $600

    Cost: $650

Do you want to attain national certification as a medical interpreter? The BTG 40-hour course qualifies as a prerequisite for the national certifications provided by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI) and the Certification Commission for Health Care Interpreters (CCHI).

FAQs

Who should apply?

College or Grad Students: Bilingual college or university students with a passion for languages and serving their community will love this interactive course. Working as an interpreter is an excellent part time, flexible job.

Health Care or Human Services Professionals: For those working in – or planning to work in – health care or in human services, medical interpreter training can enhance your skills and engagement with your patients or clients.

Life-Long Learners: If you are a bilingual retiree or interested in pursuing a new career, medical interpreting allows you to have a flexible work schedule and achieve your goal of giving back to your community.

Do I have to attend all days of the class?

BTG is a live and interactive course. Participants must attend all hours of the course in order to take the final evaluation and receive a certificate of completion.

What are the prerequisites for this course?

Be 18 years of age or older.

Have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or university/college degree. This will also count as proof of proficiency in the language spoken at the institution you have a degree from.

Have or obtain proof of language proficiency in English and one other language that you will be interpreting in.

What if I do not have proof of bilingual fluency?

If you don’t have proof of language proficiency, you will need to take an over-the-phone language assessment. The assessment is scored on a scale of 1-12, and a 9 or higher is required as admission into this course. The language assessment costs $75.

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Bridging the Gap in Mental Health