Editor’s note: “Medical interpreter” generally refers to someone who interprets spoken language and “medical translator” generally refers to translating printed material, but people often use the terms interchangeably.
The woman was understandably overwhelmed. On top of her cancer diagnosis, she had been displaced by war, forced to flee her Middle Eastern country with her husband and young children. She’d left her older children and most of her belongings behind.
Now in the United States, the health system proved a terrible labyrinth. As if the fear and confusion surrounding her brain tumor weren’t stressful enough, she didn’t understand what doctors were saying and…
