
Spanish Healthcare Interpreter Training
Spanish Healthcare Interpreter Training
Start a flexible freelance career or obtain a staff hospital position in a high-demand field. Linfield's unique Spanish-specific training is approved by the Oregon Health Authority and meets the 60-hour training requirements for certification or qualification. Refine your interpreting skills and knowledge, ethics, anatomy, physiology and medical terminology taught from a cross-cultural perspective. Our training includes extensive oral practice in Spanish and English with instructor feedback in preparation for national exams.


Program at a glance
Mon., Jun. 20 - Fri., Sept. 9, 2022
Fully online
$1,200*
(books not included)
Requirements and additional information
Textbooks you'll need
- Healthcare Interpreting in Small Bites
By Cindy Roat
Cost: $34.95 - Medical Interptretools: Volume I (digital)
By National Center for Interpretation
Cost: $50 - Medical Terminology for Interpreters, Fourth Edition
By Cross-Cultural Communications
Cost: $60
From the Linfield Bookstore, select "OCE" in term list (click image for larger view):
Language testing
If you are a student without a degree completed mostly in Spanish from a Spanish-speaking country, you will need to pass an oral placement interview for Spanish.
If you are a student without a degree completed mostly in English from an English-speaking country, you will need to pass an oral placement interview for English.
This non-credit program is not eligible for Title IV funding.
This course meets the 60-hour training requirements for healthcare interpreter certification or qualification by the Oregon Health Authority.
Eligibility for this course
In order to be eligible for this course, you must have:
- A minimum of a high school diploma or GED
- Advanced-level proficiency in English and Spanish
This training course is approved by:
- The Oregon Judicial Department for 5 general and 5 Spanish-specific Continuing Education Units
- The Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) for 1 ethics and 5 general Continuing Education Credits
- The American Translators Association (ATA) for 5 Continuing Education Points
- The National Association for Health Professionals for CEU credits for those already certified through NAHP
In the words of a Linfield student
“Este curso que acaba de pasar lo califico de excelente porque me aportó muchos conocimientos que son indispensables para ser un buen un intérprete y todo gracias a la profesora que supo diseñar el curso de una manera muy eficiente porque seleccionó los aspectos más importantes que debíamos aprender y fue muy profesional en todo momento. Yo disfruté el curso, aprendí mucho y por tanto lo voy a recomendar a mis amigos. Gracias profesora Heidi por una clase excelente.”
—María, former Spanish Instructor at Washington State University Vancouver
Meet your instructor
Michael Woods, M.A. in Contemporary Latino/Hispanic Studies, is a Certified Healthcare Interpreter™ through the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters and an Oregon Certified Health Care Interpreter. He also completed extensive doctoral coursework in Spanish sociolinguistics and has taken courses in interpretation and translation. He has been interpreting since 2017 and has more than 12 years of experience teaching Spanish at the community college and university level.

*Refunds are not issued once the course has begun.