Also called: Healthcare Interpreter, CMI
Interprets between patients and doctors who speak different languages, including American Sign Language.
Stands beside a Spanish-speaking mother in the ER, interpreting every word between her and the doctor about her son's asthma. Must know medical terms in both languages and stay calm during hard news.
BLS May 2024 (interpreters and translators).
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 1 year after high school. Fluency in two languages plus a medical interpreter training course and certification (CMI or CHI).
Ways in: Certification, On-the-job training, 4-year college. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Foreign Languages, ASL Interpreting, Linguistics.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years). Medical interpreting is growing faster than interpreting overall.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Machine translation and remote video tools take routine visits; certified humans stay for high-stakes, emotional or legally sensitive talks.
Age 18+. One way to start: If you are fluent in two languages, take a 40-hour medical interpreter course, then apply to hospitals First: 40-hour medical interpreter training (most employers require it) and a language test
Classes: AP Spanish (or another language), ASL, Health-science CTE, Anatomy & Physiology.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-3091.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.