12 Interpreters Graduate from 70-Hour Course

UTICA, Dec. 1, 2006 -- Twelve Utica area residents have graduated from a 70-hour medical interpreter course conducted by the Multicultural Association of Medical Interpreters of Central New York (MAMI). By completing the training, they can now help the medical community communicate with patients who lack proficiency in English, said MAMI Executive Director Cornelia Brown , PhD.

With this class of trained interpreters, Brown said MAMI offers interpreting services in  the following languages: Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Chinese, Dinka, French, German, Karen, Italian, Japanese, Kiswahili, Maay Maay, Russian, Mishanguli, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Ukranian and Vietnamese..

Graduates are now eligible to work as paid MAMI interpreter-interns. Once completing the internship and a follow-up exam, they become MAMI-certified medical interpreters..

The newly trained medical interpreters may be contacted through MAMI for services. The new interpreters and their language specialty are:.

-- Xiomara Cortes, Spanish.

-- Ofelia Dale, Spanish.

-- Bisharo Hassan, Maay Maay.

-- Caitlin Hernandez, Spanish.

-- Thao Hong, Vietnamese.

-- Galina Myalik, Russian.

-- Hussein Selimovic, Bosnian and German.

-- Aiku Spurgeon, Karen and Burmese.

-- Anthonitus Spurgeon, Karen and Burmese.

-- Tin Soe, Thai and Burmese.

-- Anthony Stronach , Japanese.

-- Ramiza Vukovic, Bosnian and German..

The course was taught by a team that included an experienced multi-cultural instructor, an interpreter trainer and a registered nurse/medical trainer. Training involved interpreting skills, ethics and procedures, medical basic anatomy, common illnesses and treatments, culture-brokering, communication skills, role playing, benchmark oral evaluations, and written exam..

MAMI is a community-based, non-profit organization that has been recognized state-wide and nationally for its groundbreaking advocacy, training and coordinating in providing trained interpreters for patients and the medical community..

To inquire about interpreting and translation services, contact MAMI at 315-732-2271 during business hours, at 315-624-0953 after 5 p.m. and on weekends, or email info@MAMIinterpreters.org. Medical facilities that use MAMI interpreting services are charged on a sliding scale based on level of usage.

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