Intro to Interpreting in Healthcare HLTH 84

Thank you very much for your interest in the CCSF's Healthcare Interpreting (HCI) Certificate Program. All the questions you have will be addressed in HLTH 84 in depth. Please see details below about requirements.

Prior to being considered for the HCI Certificate Program, you must complete Health (HLTH) 84, a 0.5-unit course. This course is a mandatory orientation to the HCI program where you will learn about course schedules, course requirements and expectations, and the field of healthcare interpreting.
In this course, you will also be assessed for your pair language proficiency (English and your language of service). You must pass this assessment to be considered for the program.
HLTH 84 may be offered in one-day or on multiple days inclusive of Saturdays. We typically offer this course twice a year. Please keep an eye out for offerings via myccsf.edu (Select a Term; Subject is Health Education; Subject and Course Number is HLTH 84 Health Education.)
The Next HLTH 84 course will be offered in xxx.
We offer one cohort each year with the first semester starting in the Fall.
After successful completion of HLTH 84, and passing a language proficiency assessment, there may be a possibility for you to start the HCI program xxx. This is a 2-semester program with both synchronous online and in-person sessions in the Fall and Spring.

Course Recommendations Prior to the HCI Program (not required)

For students without a health or health care background, we recommend (not required) taking courses, such as, medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology, and/or other health courses. We also recommend ESL courses to strengthen English writing and speaking skills as needed.

You may also be interested in HLTH 91K (online asynchronous), Language Access Strategies and Effective Collaboration with Healthcare Interpreters and HLTH 91J (online synchronous via Zoom videoconferencing), Language Justice in Health. These are 1.0 Unit courses over 4 weeks and is usually offered in the Summer and/or Fall. While this is not part of the Healthcare Interpreting Certificate program, it does provide a good overview of the work of an interpreter, related laws, regulations, etc. This course is recommended prior to the start of the HCI program or after the HCI program.

How to Apply, Fees, and Services

To register for any classes, you must first apply to be a CCSF student. Once accepted, you will receive a RAM ID and a CCSF email address. It is very important for you to check your CCSF email frequently as all CCSF communication will be sent via your CCSF email address.

City College is free for San Francisco residents. Please see related tuition and fee information. Virtual financial aid assistance is also available.

ALL questions regarding registration, please contact the Admission & Records and Registration Office.

For all other services, please go to CCSF.edu website.

About the Healthcare Interpreting (HCI) Certificate Program

Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Please email me at gtang@ccsf.edu and let me know the languages that you can speak fluently in.

HLTH 84 Course Information

Introduction to Interpreting in Health Care is designed for bilingual individuals who are interested in facilitating linguistic and cultural communication between patients, families, healthcare providers and health systems. Minimal student qualifications include the ability to speak in their language-pair and are interested in taking the Healthcare Interpreting (HCI) Certificate Program which includes HLTH 80C, 80L, 81C, 81L, 82, and 300.

This nine hour (0.5 units) introductory course is designed to develop awareness of the field of healthcare interpreting. Students are introduced to the California HCI Standards and will explore the roles, scopes, and practice of healthcare interpreters. The HCI Certificate Program will be explained and linguistic proficiency will be assessed. This course has a grading of Pass/No Pass.

HLTH 84 COURSE OUTLINE OF RECORD

Important Dates

Review the Instructional Calendar for other important dates

See Spring, Summer, and Fall course offerings

Course Syllabus

No purchase of materials needed.

Claudia V. Angelelli. 2019. Healthcare Interpreting Explained (Translation Practices Explained) 1st Edition. Routledge.
CHIA. 2002. California Standards for Healthcare Interpreters (classic text). CHIA.
Instructor developed materials: a. PowerPoint presentations. b. Case Studies
Media Resources: Videos discussing the HCI profession
Website: California Healthcare Interpreting Association (CHIA)