Bridging Language and Cultural Barriers in Healthcare
The Spanish Healthcare Interpreter program offered through the School of Healthcare Administration and Leadership is an innovative fully-online professional training opportunity for bilingual community members to become Spanish healthcare interpreters. Healthcare interpreters can work on an on-demand basis through virtual interpretation services, or in-person in various healthcare settings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that healthcare interpreters earn higher than average wages.
| State | Average Hourly Wage | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $29.36 | $61,060 |
| Washington | $28.03 | $58,310 |
| California | $33.62 | $69,930 |
*wage information accessed November 2024
The Spanish Healthcare Interpreter Program is taught in English and is open to community individuals in Oregon, Washington and California who are fluent in both English and Spanish. No healthcare interpreting experience is required to enroll in the program. We are pleased to collaborate with the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP) in order to utilize their Bridging the Gap (BTG) 64-hour curriculum. The 64-hour curriculum is delivered in a synchronous online format using Zoom. The online sessions run in real time, with participants and the instructor attending together from different locations (synchronous, on Zoom). The program is specifically designed for working professionals and is taught in 2-hour online sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the course of 16 weeks.
Certificate of Successful Completion
Pacific is offering this non-credit, professional training opportunity in collaboration with the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP) and Bridging the Gap (BTG). Because no academic credit is awarded through Pacific University, this program is not eligible for Title IV funding (federal financial aid). Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be issued a certificate directly from Bridging the Gap (BTG). This certificate is a participant’s proof of completion and qualifies as a pre-requisite to apply for the qualified interpreter credential in Oregon or to take the certification exam if the participant wants to become certified.
Please see the resources below for more information regarding the Oregon, Washington, and California Healthcare Interpreter (HCI) requirements:
Oregon Healthcare Interpreter requirements
Washington State Healthcare Interpreter requirements
California Healthcare Interpreter Requirements
