Ever heard of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis1? Medical translation is one of the most complex fields in translation. This is partly because of how complicated some terms are, as you can read above. More importantly, medical texts are about human lives and have to be completely error-free. So how do you choose a medical translation agency you can trust? Keep reading for the answer to that question and for the meaning of pneumo...et cetera.
At Scriptware Transalations, your medical translation will meet all applicable quality standards. We are also happy to help you with certified medical translations. Ask for a non-binding quote now!
If you are going to pick a medical translation agency, they should have some experience with the type of text you want to have translated. This is because there are many different types of medical texts that all have their own style rules. There are manuals and labels for hospital equipment, patient records, medical protocols, medication leaflets, scientific articles and so on. So make sure in advance that the medical translation agency is familiar with your type of text.
Translators working for a medical translation agency have to be fully conversant with medical jargon. Medical texts contain very subject-specific terms that must be translated into the other language unambiguously. As a medical translator, you cannot give your own interpretations or get creative. The smallest mistake has major consequences. A medical translation agency must therefore work with translators who have years of experience with these types of texts and have proven to be very accurate.
Medical science is constantly evolving. New medicines and research papers are added every day in many different languages. Medical translators must keep themselves up to date with these new developments. They can do this by reading professional literature, going to lectures or conferences and by taking professional courses.
Although not an indispensable requirement, knowledge of Latin is useful for medical translations. Diseases, parts of the body and medicines often have, if not a Latin name, a name derived from Latin. For example, the medical term for the circulatory system is "tractus circulatorus". The advantage of Latin names is that doctors around the world immediately understand what they mean.
Accuracy is a requirement throughout the medical world and therefore also for medical translations. To ensure this, international standards have been set for medical translation agencies. You can check if a translation agency meets these standards quite easily by asking if they have the relevant ISO certificates. With these certificates, a translation agency guarantees that, for example, they have each translation independently revised.
In some cases, you need a certified medical translation. If you are moving abroad for example, you will probably register with a new doctor and your medical records have to be transferred to the language of your new homeland. Such important documents must be translated by a sworn translator. The translation then receives an official stamp and is a legally valid document.
Do you have a medical text you want translated? No worries! At Scriptware Translations, we work with medical translators who will have your text figured out in no time. We are ISO certified (ISO certifications 17100 and 18587) and work with sworn translators for medical and legal texts. Want to know more about our rates or medical translators? Please feel free to contact us.
1 pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis: is a non-existent lung disease allegedly caused by volcanic ash. At 45 letters, it is the longest word in the English language and is also known as "P45".
