How to Become a Certified Medical Interpreter: Your First Step Starts Here

A group of medical professionals connecting with a medical interpreter.

In today’s healthcare system, effective communication saves lives. As the number of patients with limited English proficiency grows, the demand for certified medical interpreters is rising faster than ever. If you’re bilingual and passionate about bridging communication gaps in healthcare, becoming a certified medical interpreter could be your perfect career path.

Here’s how you can get started—and why it matters now more than ever.

Bilingual Isn’t Enough—Formal Training Is Essential

Being bilingual is a gift, but in high-stakes environments like healthcare, professional training is crucial. Interpreters must do more than simply translate words—they must accurately convey medical information, navigate cultural nuances, and uphold ethical standards.

At Be Moore Interpreting, we’ve seen firsthand how important that foundation truly is. In the past, we didn’t require our interpreters to have completed a 40-hour medical interpreter training. We believed — and still believe — that a training alone doesn’t make an interpreter.

However, over the years, we realized that not everyone naturally understands the profession’s expectations, ethics, modes of interpretation, and responsibilities. Without this knowledge, even well-intentioned interpreters can blur professional lines, jeopardizing themselves, the client, and the patient.

That’s why in 2024, we decided to take an extra step: we added Bridging the Gap (BTG) training to the services we offer. Now, every interpreter we work with starts with the same strong foundation — leveling the playing field, setting clear standards, and ensuring consistency in service quality across the board.

Choose a Certification Pathway

Once you complete a professional training course, the next step is to pursue national certification. Two major organizations provide certification in the United States:

• NBCMI (National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters)

• CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters)

Both organizations require candidates to complete formal training hours (like those provided by Bridging the Gap), pass written exams covering medical knowledge and ethics, and demonstrate interpreting skills through oral exams.

Certification shows healthcare organizations that you meet national standards for competency and professionalism. It’s also an important step in elevating yourself within the profession—and building a career that is respected, valued, and sustainable.

Prepare for Success

Through Bridging the Gap, you’ll build a solid knowledge base in:

• Medical terminology and procedures

• Cultural competency

• Ethics and confidentiality in healthcare settings

• Interpreter roles (conduit, clarifier, cultural broker, advocate)

When we launched our first internal BTG cohort this March, it included both seasoned interpreters and those newer to the field. The feedback across the board was unanimous: everyone felt they needed it. Even interpreters who had been working for years said it deepened their understanding and sharpened their skills.

The truth is, pursuing training—and ultimately certification—is a pathway to excellence. It prevents complacency, renews your commitment to your craft, and ensures you're serving clients and communities with the highest level of professionalism.

Why Train with Be Moore Interpreting?

At Be Moore Interpreting, we don’t just offer training—we build confidence, community, and credibility.

• Our instructors are experienced professionals who make complex topics accessible and actionable.

• Our small-group approach fosters personalized learning and mentorship.

• Our graduates leave equipped, supported, and ready to pursue national certification.

By making Bridging the Gap a cornerstone of our onboarding process, we've set a new standard—not just for ourselves, but for the profession. Every interpreter on our team now shares the same language, values, and commitment to quality. And that consistency is a major win for clients and patients alike.

Take the First Step Today

The future of healthcare needs trained, certified interpreters.If you're ready to move from bilingual speaker to professional interpreter, start with Be Moore Interpreting’s Bridging the Gap training.

New cohort enrolling - deadline to register is 5/20/2025.Click here to register now. 

Train. Certify. Serve with excellence.Because when every word matters, so does the interpreter behind it.