new turning point · 2011. 11. 8. · turning point, november 2011 page 3 translating and...

© 2011 Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA) Turning Point, November 2011

Turning Point

Newsletter of the Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA)

November 2011

Inside Turning Point: Translating and Interpreting (TRIN) Program at Century College ..................................... 2 Ten Steps to Improving Your First Impression! ...................... 4 Immigration Law: Abbreviations, Definitions, Exceptions, and Processes ................................ 5 Grief and Trauma Workshop ... 6 Tessa Donato Presents at the IMIA Conference and Plans to Offer Medical Terminology Boot Camps in Minnesota ................ 7 Minnesota Reports a Large Increase in the Need for Court Interpreters .............................. 7 Proposed Legislation for the Interpreting Profession – What Does it Mean? .......................... 8 About Turning Point ............... 11 Advertising in Turning Point ... 11 Turning Point Staff ................. 11 Board of Directors .................. 11

umtia.org

Cardiology Workshop for Health Care Interpreters

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Basic cardiac anatomy, function, most frequent conditions and related vocabulary.

Presenter:

ALEX DOERFFLER, M.D. Board Certified in Emergency Medicine

Residency, Hennepin County Medical Center University of Minnesota Medical School

3 credits ATA Continuing Education

Registration:

8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. or go to www.umtia.org

Presentation and questions: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Location: The Brennan Center

2nd Floor Riverside East Building UMMC Riverside Campus, Minneapolis, MN 55454

Directions:

http://www.uofmchildrenshospital.org/Patients/MapsandDrivingDirections/ Parking:

http://www.uofmchildrenshospital.org/Patients/Parking/index.htm

http://www.umtia.org/


http://www.uofmchildrenshospital.org/Patients/MapsandDrivingDirections/

http://www.uofmchildrenshospital.org/Patients/Parking/index.htm


Translating and Interpreting (TRIN) Program at Century College by Cristiano Mazzei, TRIN Coordinator

The Century College Translating & Interpreting (TRIN) program was created through a grant

from the Bush foundation and the participation of important players in interpreter and translator education and training, such as the University of Minnesota, in order to meet the increasing demand for professional interpreters in the state of Minnesota.

However, different from other curricula, TRIN is language-neutral, which means that the program accepts students with any language paired with English and that its pedagogy is focused on the process. Many of the practical exercises needed for building interpreting skills are performed in English, including memory development, cognitive skills development, etc. Nevertheless, TRIN hires language reviewers to provide periodic general feedback to students, since we believe this enhances the learning experience and provides them with essential assessment of their foreign language skills. The program’s broad mix of cultures and languages enriches the learning environment, since students are able to exchange different views about equivalence, cultural and linguistic specificities.

Our diverse student profile includes recent or late immigrants, many of whom have Bachelor’s degrees from their countries of origin in different areas, and some of them do not have, or have not completed, formal education in their native languages. United States citizens make up a good portion of our student population, with Spanish being the major foreign language. Some have had extensive formal education in Spanish, including a Bachelor’s degree or a minor in Spanish. Some have lived abroad for different lengths of time, so their levels of proficiency vary to some degree. Some TRIN students are heritage speakers of their families’ language, including Hmong, Spanish, Korean, etc. Many of our students are working interpreters and translators who have little, some, or no formal interpreter training. Some of them are graduates of a translation and interpreting program and are now seeking to complete our AAS degree.

Century College’s TRIN program requires beginning students to fulfill some requirements before they start their program, including college-level English through placement tests or proof of completion of college-level coursework. They are also required to meet with the program’s coordinator and faculty members to discuss their language proficiency in their other working language, which may include transcripts from foreign study, number of years of living abroad, and length of study of the second language in the United States.

Before taking TRIN 1041 (Beginning Skills of Interpreting), which is usually taken in their second semester of the program, students are required to take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview and score Advanced High or Superior in both of their working languages—Advanced-Mid is accepted conditionally on a case-by-case basis.

The TRIN program offers a 30-credit certificate and a 60-credit Associate in Applied Science degree. It also accepts transfer of some U of M translating and interpreting courses. Test-out options are also available for some courses.

To answer to the increasing demand for interpreters in remote areas in Minnesota, Century College has signed agreements with Riverland Community College and Rochester Technical and Community College—and seeks to partner with other schools—to provide the TRIN program via ITV (Interactive Television), which would give students from other parts of the state access to high quality training.

In fall 2011, TRIN started offering hybrid courses, which meet 50% online and 50% face-to-face, and in spring 2012 is piloting three fully online courses. The college has an advanced language lab with new software installed in 2011 (Sanako), which is available to all students, including students from other sites. Some of the TRIN courses encourage students from remote areas to attend at least one lab session each semester to work on their interpreting skills.

(continued on page 3)


Translating and Interpreting (TRIN) Program at Century College (continued)

The TRIN program’s philosophy is learner-centered program, focused on cognitive skills, decision-making, and critical thinking. Some of our class and homework activities include reading and discussion of practical and theoretical materials, critical to building critical-thinking and decision-making skills and awareness of translating and interpreting as a profession and as a field of research. Students are also asked to do presentations to improve their public speaking, critical thinking, and analytical skills. Our role-play exercises include introductions, pre-conferences, and encounter flow management, and our interpreting exercises are geared toward improving memory, analysis, and accuracy. In addition, students are exposed to a wide variety of settings and subjects. Reflection and self-assessment are key to the program, since they support and encourage skill acquisition and lifelong learning. TRIN has also created a blog (http://trincentury.wordpress.com/), which includes articles, video clips, and news about the interpreting and translating world. Also, in order to enhance communication and interaction with students, TRIN has also created a Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/jlqFA).

Century’s TRIN program faculty and staff include experienced translators and interpreters with years of training/teaching experience and academic research in the field of translation and interpreting. Our faculty is constantly attending and presenting at national and international translation and interpreting conferences in order to keep abreast of the latest pedagogic, technological, and academic information in the field. The program also relies on a lab assistant, who provides critical technological and academic support to students.

In order to finish their TRIN degree options, students also have to complete an internship component. Through partnerships with local stakeholders, including hospitals, school districts, and agencies, TRIN students observe experienced interpreters working in different areas and write a critical journal about their encounters, which is discussed periodically in group meetings. This practicum allows students to have hands-on experience and connect with potential employers.

For more information about TRIN, visit www.century.edu/trin, or call 651.779.3300.

http://trincentury.wordpress.com/

http://on.fb.me/jlqFA

http://www.century.edu/trin


Ten Steps to Improving Your First Impression

We all know by now that for every job there are dozens, if not hundreds, of applicants. The good news: often 50-75% of applicants are unqualified or send flawed resumes. Recently, I reviewed resumes for my company’s first project, and here are 10 steps to avoid the common pitfalls that I saw. Remember, the email you send with your resume is your first impression, and you are communicating your ability to follow instructions, neatness, attention to detail, writing ability, and professionalism. Ten Resume Tips:

1. Remove the fluff. A one-page resume is all an employer typically needs or wants, and avoid cramming too much onto that page. The longest and densest resumes that I received were typically from the least qualified candidates, who were apparently trying to overcompensate for lack of meaningful professional or relevant activity. Also, minimize use of fonts, sizes, underlining, and bolding. 15-30 minutes, free

2. Perfection. Your resume should have zero errors. Make sure you’ve gone over it slowly at least two times in a row without finding an error or making any changes. 15- 30 minutes, free

3. Professional review. Have your resume reviewed, either by an employment counselor or by a professional peer. You can send it to me, and I’ll give you feedback. 15-30 minutes, free

4. Only apply for jobs for which you are qualified. Even highly qualified candidates face very stiff competition. Saves you time, free

5. PDF format only. I received many resumes in Word format that didn’t maintain original formatting. Check your word processor for a way to save or export the file in PDF format, or download a free PDF creator at download.com. Less than 15 minutes, free

6. Actually send your resume. To my surprise, there is a trend where people send emails from their ‘smart’ phones expressing interest but without a resume. What does that say about the candidate, when their first task is to send me their resume if interested?

Beyond the resume, here are a few more professional development tips for improving your first impression.

7. Professional associations and training. This is a key indicator of a candidate who takes his or her profession seriously. Price and time vary

8. Buy a domain name. You could buy something like ‘jmrtranslations.com’ and send emails from something like ‘[email protected].’You can set up your personal yahoo, gmail, etc. account to send and receive using this new domain. $10 per year, 30 minutes

9. Email tagline. A tagline is text that will automatically go at the end of every email you send. 10-20 minutes, $0 investment, Your tagline might look something like this: Joe Richards Spanish Translator / Interpreter ATA Member

Punctual, Professional, Passionate 10. LinkedIn Profile or writing sample. A few candidates included a link to their LinkedIn profile or

to another site with writing samples, which is helpful optional information for a hiring manager. 60 minutes, free

The truth is, competition IS very stiff, even for highly qualified candidates. By taking these ten steps, you will stand out from the crowd and be taken more seriously. Joe Richards is a Spanish translator and the founder of T3 Trans, LLC, which specializes in investigations-related translations and transcriptions. [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


Immigration Law: Abbreviations, Definitions, Exceptions, and Processes By Tessa Donato

The Upper Midwest Translator and Interpreter Association sponsored Gennady Bronshteyn, a

second year law student at William Mitchell Law School of Minnesota, to provide a workshop on immigration law.

Gennady immediately started the workshop by announcing that the information provided during the workshop should not be used to give legal advice, nor should it be used for training purposes. Gennady proceeded to explain, “Immigration law is very confusing. There are exceptions to the exceptions, to the exceptions. Judges, themselves, need to refer to their immigration law book every time.”

First of all, one must know that there is no longer an Immigration Naturalization Service (INS). The INS was divided into two entities: the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services of Homeland Security (USCIS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). To further this confusion, other abbreviations are frequently used, and to use them is to speak in code. For example, there is the USC (United States Code), which is all United States law, and there is the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations), which is written by the Federal government and delineates the process of using the CFR. Then, there is the NTA (Notice to Appear). CIMT (crimes involving moral turpitude), as Gennady described them, could include “taste-testing a grape at the grocery store – an extreme example of CIMT.”

Now there is also the issue of being ‘admitted’ and ‘non-admitted’. Sounds easy? It’s not. If a person has received a visa to come to the United States as a visitor, that person has been ‘admitted.’ However, if a person stays in the country and his or her visa expires while here, they are still considered ‘admitted.’ Maybe it is just easier to remember that a ‘non-admitted’ person is one that has crossed the United States border without the proper papers. This leads me to my next point, which is whether the terms ‘deportation’ and ‘removal’ are the same. Wrong! They are not the same, because they are two different processes and, in case you want to know, being ‘removed’ from the country is better than being ‘deported’. ‘Removal’ means that the person voluntarily returns to his or her respective country at his or her own expense. If you have to be ‘deported,’ it means that the US government had to pay the bill.

Also, there is the confusion of ‘alien’ vs. ‘immigrant’. An ‘alien’ is a broad term for foreigner. Aliens have the same rights as a citizen in criminal cases. However, aliens do not have the same rights as a citizen in welfare cases. Immigrants come to the U.S. with the intention of staying, which may or may not be the case for an ‘alien.’ And let’s not forget the LPR (Lawful Permanent Resident). This type of resident is able to legally live in the U.S., but cannot become a citizen until after two years of staying in the country. Confused yet?

So I’ll leave you with the disclaimer that I am not an immigration lawyer, nor do I pretend to know immigration law well. If I have misquoted, or have been erroneous in any of the above, I will expect a quick pardon due to the confusing nature of this field. Good luck interpreting in the field of immigration, a thank to you to Gennady for your contribution to UMTIA.


Grief and Trauma Workshop Saturday, September 17, 2011

On Saturday, September 17, 2011, interpreters came together at Hennepin County Medical Center

in Minneapolis, MN, for a workshop on grief and trauma. Hosted by UMTIA’s Medical Committee and presented by their guest, Linda Lehman, it was yet another successful event, full of beneficial information.

Linda is a licensed psychologist with over 20 years experience, and her work consists of providing therapy to individuals who have had traumatic experiences and/or are grieving a loss. She started the session by sharing some of her very own personal losses with the group, then continued on by explaining the concept of the loads we all carry in what she referred to as our ‘grief case.’ We all own one; the only difference is that some of our grief cases may be more full than others.

We also learned about different situations where we, as interpreters, are confronted with grief on a daily basis. Every single day, all day long, we’re affected. And, sometimes, when we are grieving a loss in our personal lives or when someone we know is grieving, it can be overwhelming. As interpreters, we also grieve when there we encounter instances that trigger something that we relate to. This in turn stirs our emotions, and we may manifest our feelings in many different and unconscious ways. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are being negative or even cynical.

***When we see, hear, or encounter grief situations in our workplace or when a co-worker is grieving, it has an impact on our own psyche. In order to look beyond our call of duty as interpreters, we have to sort through our own grief cases. Understanding where our own feelings of loss are arising from is important in order to start the healing process. Considering loss at the workshop, we looked into the many different types of losses that interpreters might have. Some of these losses surprised me, as I had never really considered them a loss at all. However, according to Mrs. Lehman, there are many different kinds of losses. The loss of a pet, the loss of a loved one, loss of feelings, loss of self esteem, loss of childhood are just a few that she included in her varied list.

Because we carry our baggage around (knowingly or unknowingly); we can soon find that the weight is too heavy to bear. We can go on this way until we hit a breaking point, but our bodies have a way of trying to get our attention to stop.

Left unattended, our grief starts to wear us out, and some may even experience a state of numbness, becoming robotic-like. Physiologically our bodies ache, we feel drained or burned out, and whining becomes a bad habit. We drag through our days and try to adapt. Some may even become depressed, but without the slightest idea of what is happening to them. These kinds of symptoms are referred to as ‘compassion fatigue.’ And, although these symptoms might sound like an exaggeration, they are nonetheless very real.

The fact is that as interpreters we’re exposed to an unlimited number of assignments that will undoubtedly include their share of bad news, sad stories, and human suffering. As interpreters, being constantly exposed to life’s crises is inevitable, and it’s important that we respond appropriately for the sake our well being.

To finalize, the main thing I learned from Mrs. Lehman and would like to share with you is very basic: just stop and listen. The signals are loud and clear, alarm bells are ringing, and our files are overflowing. Don’t wait for your handles to break, to have everything spill over, unorganized and marked ‘pending.’ Do take care of the files in your ‘grief case’ and never minimize the importance of addressing issues of loss.

Are we worth helping ourselves first? Linda Lehman thinks so. As she said, ‘That chocolate is calling your name” – so treat yourself to something sweet today.

Thank you so much, Linda Lehman, for your words of wisdom.

Submitted by: Alma Cotter, CMI Greater MN Committee Co-chair and Workshop Attendee


Tessa Donato Presents at the IMIA Conference and Plans to Offer Medical Terminology Boot Camps in Minnesota

Tessa Donato made a presentation at the 25th annual IMIA conference in Boston, MA, at the Harvard Medical

School titled “Interpreting for Medically Fragile Children and their Transition to Early Childhood Special Education.”

Tessa also registered for the Medical Terminology Boot Camp for the IMIA conference and she is hoping that she will be able to provide some medical terminology boot camps in Minnesota in the near future. Training sessions would be about 8 hours long, with the following learning objectives:

Identify basic anatomy and function related to the major body systems Define common medical terminology associated with the major body systems Recognize prefixes root words, and suffixes used to form medical terms Identify the meaning of medical terminology used in context

UMTIA will keep you informed of these training sessions

Minnesota Reports a Large Increase in the Need for Court Interpreters

The demand for court interpreters in Minnesota has dramatically increased over the past two decades. Recent

surveys indicate that more than 120 dialects are spoken in the state, while about 1% of residents do not speak English in their homes. Interpreters were used in 30,009 Minnesota court proceedings in 2010, up from 5,177 in 2006. Dakota County Judge Edward Lynch notes, “The courts in Minnesota have come a long way in responding to the needs and rights of non-English-speaking people in court proceedings.”

According to Lynch, the 1st Judicial District spent more than $330,000 on interpreters last year while the state paid $1.9 million for interpreting services in court hearings. Lynch says that Dakota County and others are seeking to reduce costs by developing best practices, sharing resources, and forging contracts with interpreters to provide reliable but reasonably priced services. Court officials report that their services roster includes 1,300 interpreters speaking more than 100 languages. Seven hundred and fifty of the interpreters are certified in the 13 most common languages spoken in Minnesota. Dakota County Attorney Jim Backstrom notes that, while the need for Spanish interpreters has risen over the last decade, the demand for interpreters in less widely spoken languages, such as Somali and Hmong, is now growing. From "Judge: Justice Must Come in Many Languages" Minneapolis Star Tribune (MN) (09/24/11) Powell, Joy


Proposed Legislation for the Interpreting Profession – What Does It Mean?

Quality communication between cultures and individuals is what we strive for in the

interpreting profession. What is important isn’t just the ability to speak two languages. It is the depth of knowledge within the languages, the cultures, and the subject matter that are reflected in the transfer of information. Because we want the role of an interpreter to be of the highest standard and professionalism, especially within the field of health care interpreting, two members of the UMTIA Executive Board took a look at the legislative proposals presented by the ISG (Individual Stakeholders Group) committee. The following questions were posed by Beth Horsager and answered by Tara Gibbs. Is it correct that there is already legislation in place for interpreters in the State of Minnesota, and that the present discussion concerns amendments to a 2009 document? Yes, there is current legislation, but it is very short. It basically says that the Department of Health shall establish a roster for interpreters. The only requirements for an individual to be listed on the roster are a $50 annual fee and a criminal background check, both specified in the legislation. What do interpreters and the ISG hope to achieve with this new amended legislation? What are the specific goals? Will these goals be met with tighter legislation? The goal of this legislation is to establish a registry with training and testing requirements. It appears that the ISG also wants to restrict the use of the term ‘registered interpreter.’ This was discussed in 2008, abandoned, and now appears to be back. How will the roster and register enhance the health care interpreter in their career? Are the roster and register only for health care? The roster and register will provide a definition for the term ‘qualified interprete.’ This is important for a number of reasons. Several laws pertaining to the provision of interpreters required that a qualified interpreter be used, but there is no definition of a qualified interpreter outside of Iowa, Indiana, New Jersey, California, Oregon, Washington, and Massachusetts (in other words, states make their own definitions). Additionally, there are a number of funding standards in the health care arena, which require the definition of ‘qualified’ in order to reimburse for services. Since Minnesota doesn’t have such a definition, interpreting services are not reimbursable expenses and hospitals like HCMC (Hennepin County Medical Center) and Rice Hospital in Willmar have to absorb the costs themselves. This is increasingly problematic, now that the funding they used to receive from the state to pay for unfunded mandates such as interpreters has been eliminated. This means that if a registry is established, a move can be made for interpreter services to be reimbursed and people requiring interpreter services can go to any hospital that accepts their insurance, not just public hospitals, which have to absorb the costs. It also provides hospitals a means to recoup these costs. The result of hospitals being reimbursed for interpreter services means that interpreters will become a profession that falls under different human resource rules for which quality standards can be established. This means that they can establish minimum and preferred qualifications for employment, which would bring up the quality of interpreting services received by all patients. Historical trends show that other medical professions that have undergone this process have seen an increase in pay rate as a result.



(Proposed Legislation for the Interpreting Profession, continued) In some hospitals, being a profession with qualifications for entry also makes the group eligible for professional development opportunities that were previously unavailable to them. This legislation only focuses on health care. However, the Department of Health has spent extra financial resources developing the database as a stand-alone database so that it could be moved to another department or even to an outside non-profit agency. The long-term hope is that other states and other areas (such as education and social services) will sign on. There were early versions of the design which included both possibilities and the development was done so that both could be added on later if/when there is interest in doing so. What happens if someone does not register and still operates as an interpreter? The Attorney General (AG) or Secretary of State (SOS) can inform these individuals that they are operating outside the law. However, only the specific terms in the legislation are being restricted. Other variations, such as ‘unregistered interpreter,’ don’t appear to be restricted. However, this is a good question for further research. How will healthcare interpreters be regulated and followed? By the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO), the Department of Health, AG, and SOS, depending on the particular issue. How will the register prevent ‘off the street interpreters’? (Friends of mine mentioned that their son, during his summer internship, was pulled in by an emergency room doctor for some Spanish interpreting. He is 20 and has 4 years of high school Spanish. I asked why they didn't use a hospital interpreter. The answer was, “There weren't any available, and no time to wait with the patient.”) Same as above. I’m sure that for several years it will take time to educate people on the rules of interpreting. Eventually, however, it will be about enforcing the rules. My understanding is that JACHO, the agency regulating/accrediting hospitals around the country, has rules that will recognize titles defined by the state as they come in to use around the country. And, they will enforce the rules by informing hospitals that are found to be in violation that they have some period of time within which to educate their providers on the rules, and after that JACHO will sanction them, and eventually threaten their accreditation. Within hospitals, this may be a greater concern than state regulators. JACHO did several undercover reports on interpreter issues between 2004 and 2009, which apparently really rocked the hospital CEO world for a while. This spawned some major funding from the Robert Woods Foundation to create systems to improve the situation. HCMC and Regions Hospital (St. Paul) were part of a million dollar project funded to develop interpreter quality control systems. Section 4. Protected Titles. - How do interpreters get specific titles and is there a ranking? Is this for language level or pay scale? It should be for training and ability. As far as I can tell, the current legislation doesn’t have this. There were several proposals that included this a few years ago, however, they don’t seem to have survived and been put into the present ISG legislative draft. Section 5. Subd. 4. Continuing Ed. - Do UMTIA workshops count toward this? We have some very good presentations coming along. Yes.



(Proposed Legislation for the Interpreting Profession, continued) Section 6. Subd. 2. Is there already a commissioner? Is it volunteer or government funded? It is apparently funded. A commission has not been set up yet. Section 8. Subd. 1. Fees - Are fees charged currently? Will biennial fees deter existing or future interpreters from registering? Yes, there are fees in place. The current legislation specifies $50 per year. To change this, legislation would have to be passed or included in this bill. Apparently, the charges did not deter registration, because representatives from ISG thought they would get 100-500 interpreters registered and I thought 2,000-5,000 based on the size of the database at the state courts. I think it is somewhere in the 3,000 range of people who have paid and gotten on the roster, but I am not sure. I guess as this legislation is developed and the OPI (Office of Performance Improvement) standards are set, my biggest question is: How is this ISG legislation ultimately going to improve the status of the interpreter on the job and interpreting as a career? The legislation establishes criteria for using the term ‘interpreter’ so that doctors can’t just pull someone out of the waiting room who can speak the needed language. The effect of Rule 8 in the mid-1990s (something similar to this legislation) in the courts was that judges stopped calling criminals waiting to have their cases heard to come up and interpret for other cases on the docket before them. In 2004 it also resulted in a tiered pay system, which was implemented in the courts with higher rates for certified interpreters, middle rates for registered interpreters, and base rates for non-registered interpreters. It also set up the circumstances under which you could spiral down the system. There are two counties that still do not follow Rule 8, and there is no excuse for their noncompliance. When I worked for the courts, we audited the counties each week. All but three counties had 100% compliance with Rule 8 every week. This was down from 12 counties half a year earlier. They were called each week they were out of compliance and quickly got into compliance. I think auditing in the medical setting will be much more difficult, but the courts did it by implementing a computer program for invoices so that the name of each interpreter who was paid could be checked against the database of interpreters. Before Rule 8, the understanding of interpreting as a profession was low. After 10 years of Rule 8, the interpreter is now viewed as a skilled professional. Defining what it means to be a professional enables the implementation of pay scales, outlines requirements for human resource hiring, and provides a means of training for individuals and groups using the interpreter services. It should simplify the HR process to a manageable level. The dialogue above is presented to make interpreters and translators aware of the growth and challenges in the language field. Remember to ask questions and advocate for the profession and the caliber of service we wish to offer our clients, now and in the future.


UMTIA Genetics Workshop By Cynthia Mauleón, Mauleón Communications

What is a gene mutation? What is a syndrome? What is genetic testing, and how is it performed? What is prenatal testing? What is newborn screening, and why is it so important? The answers to these, and other questions, were deftly addressed by Lisa Schimmenti, M.D. at UMTIA’s Genetics Workshop, held on May 21, at the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC). Dr. Schimmenti is a Clinical Geneticist who works at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Pediatrics, in the Division of Genetics and Metabolism. From her reception at the workshop, she is obviously well-loved and respected by the interpreters who work with her regularly. Dr. Schimmenti’s presentation helped elucidate some common genetics concepts, which will be helpful to understand when interpreting for genetics appointments. The full notes for her presentation can be found at: www.umtia.org. Building blocks-chromosomes, genes, DNA, genetic code As you may remember from biology class, we are all made of millions and millions of cells. Each cell contains a nucleus, which houses our chromosomes. To the naked, unscientific eye, chromosomes look like squiggly strands—some are tall, some are short, most are skinny. Each chromosome has a dark- and light-striped pattern—the dark stripes (or black regions) are where our genes reside. Our genes, in turn, are made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA, the so-called ‘the molecule of life,’ is the chemical code that determines our genetic makeup. The DNA code is made up of four nucleic acid bases, each identified by the first letter of its name; they are: A (adenine), T (thymine), G (guanine), and C (cytosine). The sequence of the bases in DNA, and its partner, RNA (ribonucleic acid), determine the specific amino acid sequences in the synthesis of proteins; that is, genes contain the instructions necessary for making protein. These proteins act alone or in complexes to perform many cellular functions. What is a gene mutation? To a geneticist, a mutation means a change in the DNA sequence that leads to a change in protein expression, which results in a medical condition. The mass media, however, has co-opted the term ‘mutation’ and gave it a negative connotation. For this reason, patient groups or individual patients may not be comfortable with this word; often geneticists will substitute other words to describe mutation so as not to make their patients uncomfortable. Some synonyms for “mutation” that are used in patient care include: ‘genetic variant,’ ‘disease-associated variant,’ ‘genetic change,’ or ‘genetic difference.’ What is a syndrome? The word ‘syndrome’ comes from the Latin ‘syn,’ which means ‘with’ or ‘together,’ and ‘drome,’ which means ‘run.’ ‘Syndrome’ is a word that is used to describe ‘things that run together,’ and it gives geneticists (and other scientists) a shorthand way to describe a collection of symptoms. For example, a syndrome with which most of us are familiar, Down Syndrome, is the name for a condition in which a patient has a developmental disability that is associated with heart defects, specific facial features, and other medical issues such as intestinal blockages, low thyroid, immune issues, etc. What is genetic testing, and how is it performed? Any test that involves DNA or chromosomes is considered to be genetic testing. These include: chromosome study, comparative genomic hybridization, or mutation testing. Genetic testing is most commonly done by collecting a blood sample, but testing can also be done using saliva, cheek cells or skin cells. The sample is sent to a special molecular diagnostic lab, which, in many cases, can mean




(UMTIA Genetics Workshop, continued) sending the sample to a lab in another part of the U.S. It is important to note that we are only able to test a few genes at a time. A negative or normal genetic test does not rule out all possible genetic conditions for a given patient. What is prenatal testing? Prenatal testing is any testing performed during pregnancy to determine if a baby is affected with a medical condition. There are several types of prenatal testing:

First trimester screening: Quad Screen; this test detects Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida and other spine defects, Trisomy 18

Amniocentesis: Detects chromosome abnormalities or specific gene disorders that run in families.

Chorionic Villus Sampling: Detects chromosome abnormalities or specific gene disorders that run in families

Multiple Marker Screen:Testing to detect 4 different chemical markers found in the mother’s blood. Testing is NOT done on the fetus.

What is newborn screening and how does it save lives? Newborn screening is testing that is performed shortly after birth. It saves lives by identifying diseases, which, if left untreated, would cause brain damage or death. We currently screen for 56 different diseases at birth, and about 50 children a year in Minnesota are identified to have a genetic condition that can be treated. Who provides genetic services? There are two types of providers that interpreters will encounter when working in the area of genetics: clinical geneticists (physicians), and genetic counselors. In much the same way we see collaboration between endocrinologists and diabetic educators, clinical geneticists and genetic counselors have different, but complementary, roles. Patients will often need to meet with both to get the full picture of their diagnosis and treatment. Geneticists diagnose and treat genetic conditions. This may include prescribing medication, admitting a patient to the hospital, determining a care plan, ordering genetic or other testing. Genetic counselors provide education to patients regarding genetic conditions and inheritance patterns, and they assist in interpreting results of genetic testing. They may also discuss the probability of having a genetic condition, based on family and personal medical history (known in genetics as a ‘pedigree’). Interpreting for Genetics Appointments While medical interpreting is never to be taken lightly, genetics appointments can be especially challenging for the interpreter, and should be handled with the utmost care. Concepts can be scientifically complex and difficult to understand; life-changing diagnoses can make emotional stakes high for both the family and individual in question. Terminology can be somewhat obscure. Add to that another layer of complexity due to cultural or linguistic barriers, and the challenges to provider, patient, and interpreter in this setting are immense. For this reason, we were especially grateful to have the opportunity to attend and learn from Dr. Schimmenti’s thoughtful and thorough presentation. Additional Resources In addition to the notes from Dr. Schimmenti’s presentation, which can be found on the UMTIA web site, Dr. Schimmenti shared a couple of resources which can be helpful for interpreters who desire to prepare for genetics appointments: https://familiyhistory.hhs.gov www.geneticalliance.org

https://familiyhistory.hhs.gov/

http://www.geneticalliance.org/


About Turning Point

Turning Point is published by the Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA), a chapter of the American Translators Association, as a service to its membership. UMTIA was established in 2001 as a nonprofit professional membership association to promote the quality, professionalism, and prestige of the translating and interpreting industry in the upper Midwest region and to provide networking, training, and development opportunities for local language professionals. For more information, visit the UMTIA web site:

umtia.org

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Turning Point Staff

Claudia Giannini ([email protected]) Judith Taylor ([email protected]) Please send contributions for Turning Point to: Claudia Giannini at [email protected]

UMTIA Board of Directors

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