Ever heard of pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis1? Medical translation is one of the most complex fields in translation. And part of that has to do with the terms used (as you can read above). More importantly, medical texts are about human lives and must be error-free. So how do you choose a medical translation agency you can trust? Read on 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. Request a quote now without obligation.
If you are going to choose a medical translation agency, it is convenient that they 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 medical devices, patient records, medical protocols, drug leaflets, medical 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 must be fully conversant with medical jargon. Medical texts contain very subject-specific terms that must be translated unambiguously into the other language. As a medical translator, you cannot give your own interpretations or get creative with your typing. 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. A medical translator must stay informed of these new developments. You do this by reading professional literature, going to lectures or conferences and by taking professional courses. This is how you stay up-to-date.
Although not an indispensable requirement, knowledge of Latin is useful for medical translations. Diseases, parts of the body, as well as 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 is meant by them.
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 quite easily check if a translation agency meets these standards 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. For example, are you moving abroad? Then you will probably register with a new doctor and your medical records have to be transferred to the language of the country where you are going to live. 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 have the ISO 17100 and 18587 certifications 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 nonexistent 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.
