Description:

According to a publication by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, in the past 30 years, just about 1 million people in the United States have received an organ transplant. These same data also show that the number of transplants performed has quadrupled in this same 30-year period. As such, interpreters are consistently being called in more and more to assist with these specialized encounters.

While there is certainly overlap between the different types of transplants, the field is vast and highly technical, and each organ transplant type comes with its own unique factors and nuances. Moreover, the transplantation process is very long, and it can be difficult for interpreters to be aware of and prepared for the stage of the process into which they are stepping. This means that we need to be well-versed in the entire process as well as the common terminology and diagnoses to provide the best interpretation possible for our patients and our provider colleagues.