How the Ambassador Program Works

Are you wondering: just how does the Ambassador program work? We’ve designed the Ambassador Program to rely on a comprehensive nomination, qualification, screening, and training process to not only ensure the provision of quality interpretation services, but also to guarantee a fair and equitable selection process based on merit.


Nomination and/or Proof of Qualifications

How the nomination process for the Ambassador Program works

In order for a member to be nominated to the Ambassador Program, they must participate in live medical interpreting practice sessions in order for others to see their interpreting skills in action. Logged-in members can see our scheduled live practice sessions on this page. Other members may nominate peers that interpret the same language pair, and once a member obtains two nominations from their peers, InterpreMed staff will monitor the nominee in at least one practice session to ascertain their skill level. InterpreMed staff will evaluate nominees on the following (if applicable):

  • Medical interpretation in the consecutive mode
  • Knowledge of medical terminology in the interpreter’s working languages
  • Ethical decision-making and adherence to standards of practice utilizing the widely-recognized medical interpreting codes of ethics and standards of practice in the United States (NCIHC, IMIA, CHIA)
  • Effectively managing the flow of communication in the interpreted encounter

If InterpreMed staff determines that a nominee is of a sufficient skill level to participate in the Ambassador Program, the nominee will be notified by InterpreMed via e-mail. If the member decides they’d like to participate in the Ambassador Program, they will proceed to the next step of the process and undergo an eligibility screening.

Qualification process

  1. Share your interest in participating in the Ambassador program by sending an email to nanyi@interpremed.com and submit the following documents:

    – Medical interpretation training (e.g. 40-hour medical interpretation training)
    – Language proficiency proof in English and the other languages you want to interpret in (e.g. high school diploma, bachelor degree, Parrot test, TOEFL, etc.)
    – (optional) Your CV, resume, or certifications (e.g. CCHI/NBCMI) to add it to our volunteer database and connect you with any work or volunteering opportunities that may arise in the future.

  2. If you comply with these requirements, your volunteer profile will be enabled so you can start receiving a short training for InterpreMed Ambassadors. By the end of the program, you will also need to have a HIPAA certificate if you don’t have one already. InterpreMed will provide website references for HIPAA training.

Once you have submitted your Qualification documents, you will receive further instructions from Nanyi to complete the Ambassador Program and start volunteering.


Eligibility Screening

Both InterpreMed and the charitable organizations with which we partner have eligibility requirements for prospective Ambassadors. InterpreMed staff will ask for proof of the following once the candidate decides they’d like to participate in the Ambassador Program:

  • Medical Interpretation Training
    Prospective Ambassadors need to meet with this requirement as outlined by both the CCHI (Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters) and NBCMI (National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters) as a prerequisite for national certification.  This could be in the form of a completion of a medical interpretation training program of at least 40 hours, college-level courses in medical interpretation, etc. InterpreMed membership does not count towards this requirement.
  • HIPAA Training
    Because the organizations we currently partner with provide services in the medical field and often require the use of protected health information (PHI), prospective Ambassadors must provide proof of training that covers the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Candidates who do not have a HIPAA training certificate will be provided resources to obtain one.

Once an Ambassador candidate is deemed eligible for the Program, they will then be provided with free training to prepare them for their role as an Ambassador.


Training

Once deemed eligible, Ambassador candidates will receive free training via Zoom with an InterpreMed staff member. Please be aware that our goal is to eventually have this information included in a self-guided course on our online LMS (learning management system), but will take some time to implement. A prospective Ambassador’s training will include:

  • An overview of the organization or organizations with which the Ambassador will be volunteering
  • A brief review of medical interpreting codes of ethics and standards of practice as they apply to the volunteer role with the organization
  • Training on digital security basics as it pertains to remote medical interpretation (ePHI management, secure communications, etc.) 

The candidate may also be given quizzes or assessments based on the training materials. Once training is completed and the candidate is ready, our brand-new Ambassador will be connected with the partner organization they have chosen to serve!


What’s the Ambassador Program?

Learn more about the InterpreMed Ambassador program, check out our amazing program partners, and see which of our members are serving the limited English proficient (LEP) community through our exciting and innovative initiative!

Nominate a Member

Are you an active member of InterpreMed who would like to nominate one of your fellow members for the Ambassador Program? Click the button below to find out more about if and how you can nominate another member.

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