What is medical translation and in which fields of healthcare is it useful?

what is medical translation
By October 20th, 2021 | web translation | 0 Comments

Medical translation is a highly specialized scientific and technical translation that covers all the texts regarding healthcare and the prevention and treatment of diseases.

Medical translation requires professional medical translators with specific knowledge of the technical and scientific terminology used in this type of content in the source and target languages. They also have to know how to use accurate and unbiased language applying the appropriate style and register to each type of text.

There are a wide range of texts to which this type of translation is applied: package inserts, prescriptions, articles in specialized journals, medical histories, specialized books, usage guides, test and research protocols. These are just a few examples of the translations that could be requested from a professional medical translator.

Specific fields in which medical translation is useful

We have already mentioned that the wide range of fields covered by medical translation give rise to different text types and formats. Obviously it is not the same to translate content for a medicine commercial as it is to translate a medical certificate.

Pitch and purpose vary depending on the public they are addressed to, even though we can find common and specific characteristics of technical translation and scientific translation: both deal with texts that inform with clear, accurate and unbiased language.

Want to know more about this type of translation? The following are the fields in which medical translation is used.

Medical research texts

Medical translation in research is demanded now more than ever. It is essential so that all doctors and researchers involved in carrying out tests and research share their knowledge, protocols, studies and findings regardless of the language.

Educational texts

Education is another field with a high demand for translation of educational texts. These could be text books for medicine and health science students, informational or specialized medical guides and even articles in prestigious medical journals.

Pharmaceutical texts

This is another one of the industries closely related to scientific and technical translation, which includes content for professionals and consumers. The amount of pharmaceutical texts that are written is huge: package inserts, guides, clinical tests, reports and all types of documents relating to any product or device to be sold.

It is particularly difficult to translate texts that are intended to get the approval of healthcare products by regulating authorities such as the European Medicines Agency. The translator must strictly follow very specific rules regarding the writing and structure of the texts.

Healthcare control texts

Information on public healthcare control is generated every day, all around the world by public and private bodies. Government workers, hospital and healthcare center staff and news agencies are just a few of the many professionals that manage this type of content.

Accuracy and experience in translating technical terms, command of the standards to express measurements or the order of symbols in chemical formulas are essential in order to avoid serious mistakes.

As you can see, medical translation is extremely important when it comes to preserving health and promoting the development of new techniques and protocols in the field. That is why it is essential to use a professional medical translation service.

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