Definition of medical translation:
Medical translation is the translation of everything related to all healthcare fields and their medical specialties, such as the translation of medical reports, data, hospital documents, scientific research, clinical results, medical devices, pharmaceutical products, seminars, conferences and medical sessions. Therefore, it does not require just an expert translator who has mastery over the language. Rather, it requires translators who hold specialized certificates in the medical field, as it requires extensive academic and cultural experience in the medical arms. Medical translation is not like other fields of translation, because of its special nature and extreme sensitivity due to its close relationship with the health and safety of human beings.
Medical translation challenges:
1- The mastery of medical specialty and language pair:
The translator must be specialized and hold academic degrees in the medical field, as well as proficient in the source and target languages, and be able to formulate the translation in an easy and clear language that does not bear any doubt about the duplication of meaning, and to ensure that the meaning is accurately conveyed due to the consequences of actions related to the health and life of human beings.
2- Adaptation of medical terminology:
Full knowledge and constant access to everything new in the medical field, and the transfer of medical reports to the target language after knowing the target audience, whether it is professional specialists or the general public, and adjusting the wording that fits with each of them.
3- The text is free from grammatical errors:
One of the most prominent features of the medical translator is his/her keenness to ensure that his/her translation is free from linguistic errors, whether spelling or grammatical, which in turn can lead to a misunderstanding of the translated medical texts.
4- Self-development and extensive culture:
The translator can not fully master medical terminology unless he/she is a follower of everything new in the medical field and following up on periodicals, publications, medical journals, research, achievements and modern medical terminology.
5- Commitment to professional translation standards:
Medical translation requires the highest standards of confidentiality for medical reports and patient information, pharmaceutical formulations or medical research. Strict confidentiality and non-disclosure must be adhered to.