60-Hour Health Care Interpreter Training
About
OHCIA's 60-hour training course has been approved by the Oregon Health Authority. This course provides a foundation for health care interpreting including human anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. Students learn about message conversion, memory, sight translation and other skills necessary for professional interpreting. We review language access laws and the Code of Ethics for Health Care Interpreters. This language-neutral training program is taught in English and prepares interpreters in the seven spoken languages and ASL identified as eligible for national and state certification and prepares other language interpreters for qualification in the state of Oregon.
OHCIA’s 60-Hour Health Care Interpreter Training is perfect for both new and experienced interpreters. Our training will allow you to get the necessary credentials to be part of a healthcare team! OHCIA’s 60-hour training costs $645.
Before you register
Make sure you review:
How to enroll
To enroll in the 60-hour Health Care Interpreter Training, follow these 3 steps:
1
Review the enrollment requirements and terms & conditions.
2
Ensure you meet the requirements set out by OHA/E&I.
(Note: The Equity and Inclusion Division does not require background check and $25 registration fee anymore)
3
Register for the 60-hour Health Care Interpreter Training here:
* Please note that ASL students seeking RID credits should register for Mary Soots’s 4 pm Thursday class or Christopher Fallas Ureña’s 9 am Saturday class.
WINTER 2025 TERM SCHEDULE
THURSDAY CLASSES
4:00 PM-6:00 PM
Thursday, January 9
Module 1: Introduction to Health Care Interpreting and Medical Terminology
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, January 16
Module 2: Musculoskeletal System / Fundamentals of Message Conversion
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, January 23
Module 3: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems / Developing Memory Skills
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, January 30
Module 4: Nervous and Integumentary Systems / Basic Sight Translation
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, February 6
Module 5: Health Care Interpreting Ethics I
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, February 13
Module 6: Ethics II / Endocrine & Lymphatic Systems
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, February 20
Module 7: Digestive & Teeth / Interpreting Equivalence
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, February 27
Module 8: Reproductive & Urinary Systems / Cultural Awareness
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, March 6
Module 9: Ears, Nose, Throat, Vision / Advanced Interpreting Skills
Instructor: Mary Soots
Thursday, March 13
Module 10: Advanced Health Care Interpreting – Final Exam
Instructor: Mary Soots
WINTER 2025 TERM SCHEDULE
SATURDAY CLASSES
9:00 AM -11:00 aM
10:00 AM -12:00 PM
Saturday, January 11
Module 1: Introduction to Health Care Interpreting and Medical Terminology
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, January 18
Module 2: Musculoskeletal System / Fundamentals of Message Conversion
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, January 25
Module 3: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems / Developing Memory Skills
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, February 1
Module 4: Nervous and Integumentary Systems / Basic Sight Translation
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, February 8
Module 5: Health Care Interpreting Ethics
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, February 15
Module 6: Ethics II / Endocrine & Lymphatic Systems
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, February 22
Module 7: Digestive & Teeth / Interpreting Equivalence
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, March 1
Module 8: Reproductive & Urinary Systems / Cultural Awareness
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, March 8
Module 9: Ears, Nose, Throat, Vision / Advanced Interpreting Skills
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Saturday, March 15
Module 10: Advanced Health Care Interpreting – Final Exam
Instructor: Christopher Fallas Ureña (9 am - 11am Course)
Instructor: Mireya Pérez (10 am -12pm Course)
Instructors Bios
Christopher Fallas Ureña
Christopher Fallas Ureña is a well-seasoned medical, court interpreter, interpreting instructor and translator. He has worked as an interpreter all around America and Latin America.
He feels at home in the forests of the Pacific Northwest and in the linguistic diversity of this country. He is excited to be a part of the OHCIA team devoted to contribute to the continuing education of our Oregon medical interpreters.
Mary Soots, BA, MA
Mary Soots is an Anthropologist, social researcher and policy analyst, as well as a Certified Health Care Interpreter (Spanish). She is Adjunct Professor of Anthropology at Portland State University, is the former Director of Education Programs for the Oregon Health Care Interpreters Association (OHCIA), and provides training to health professionals. Mary holds a M.A. and B.A. in Anthropology from Portland State University, a B.A. in International Studies, as well as Minor Degrees in Spanish and in Geography.
Mireya Pérez
Mireya Pérez embarked on her career as a certified medical interpreter, accumulating over a decade of experience breaking down language barriers in healthcare and education.
Her proficiency was honed through diverse roles in both general and children's hospitals, showcasing her dedication to facilitating effective communication in critical settings. Building on her extensive experience, Mireya spent nearly a decade as a staffed interpreter in a K-12 public education school district. Here, she not only provided invaluable language support but also championed the vital role of trained interpreters in education, recognizing their impact on ensuring meaningful language access.
While continuing her work in education, Mireya has expanded her influence by taking a leadership role in training new interpreters.
With a focus on nurturing talent and fostering growth, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of language professionals, enabling them to reach their fullest potential and contribute significantly to the interpreting industry. Mireya remains unwavering in her commitment to elevating the voices and stories of language professionals globally, and passionately advocates for language access policies in public education.
Financial Assistance
Scholarships
Because we know the financial difficulty to afford the training in these times, OHCIA is on the WorkSource Training Provider List, so health care interpreters can apply for federal funding from a WorkSource Oregon Center to pay for tuition and possibly other costs associated with the qualification and certification required by the state.
Scholarship sponsors
Miscellaneous Info
Keep in mind
Our training is fully accessible to Deaf and Hard of Hearing interpreters in compliance with ADA law.
Hearing, Speech & Deaf Center is an Approved RID CMP Sponsor for continuing education activities. This Professional Studies program is approved for 6.0 CEUs at the Some content knowledge level.
Still need help?
For help email us at training@ohcia.org
