I recently joined the Provider Pulse podcast to record two episodes titled From Siberia to Harborview – Yuliya Speroff and the Art of Medical Interpreting. Over these two episodes, we dove into the intricacies of medical interpreting – what the work actually looks like, the complexity behind “just translating,” and why partnering effectively with interpreters matters so much for patient care.
Provider Pulse is the official podcast of EthnoMed.org, a website based in the Interpreter Services Department at Harborview Medical Center which serves as a cultural bridge connecting providers and patients with resources for cross-cultural medicine. The podcast features provider interviews, community highlights, and topical episodes related to cross-cultural medicine. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Duncan Reed, clinical assistant professor and the medical director of EthnoMed and Interpreter Services at Harborview Medical Center.
If you work with interpreters, if you’re an interpreter yourself, or if you’ve ever wondered what happens behind the scenes in interpreted clinical encounters, the highlights below as well as the full episode will be of interest – and hopefully of assistance – to you.
If you’d rather listen to the episodes than read about them you can listen to the episodes wherever you get your podcasts (search for the keyword Ethnomed) or by following the links below:
Now, for the podcast episode highlights:
The Emotional Labor Behind Accurate Interpreting
One topic we dove into is the emotional reality of our work. Medical interpreters witness trauma, grief, and crisis day after day. We carry the weight of hearing people describe the worst moments of their lives or providers delivering impossible news – and we carry it in two languages.
On the podcast, I talked about how vicarious trauma can show up:
“… this job, can make you tremendously vulnerable to what we call vicarious trauma, which is what happens when you are exposed to suffering of others. And even though it’s not you who is experiencing the pain, the loss, any other emotions, but just by witnessing that you can be affected and you can be affected profoundly. Anywhere from, feeling distressed in the moment to having almost PTSD like symptoms where, you know, maybe you can’t sleep, maybe you keep having persistent thoughts and flashbacks of this situation, and so on. …” Provider Pulse Episode 23: From Siberia to Harborview – Yuliya Speroff and the Art of Medical Interpreting (Part 1)
🟩 Learn more about vicarious trauma and self-care for medical interpreters here: Self-care for Medical Interpreters
Finding the Right Balance: Emotion vs. Precision
We also discussed the fine line interpreters walk when conveying emotion. On the one hand, interpreters can’t sound robotic — tone and inflection affect how patients receive information. But they also can’t be overly theatrical or dramatize.
During the interview, Dr. Reed astutely pointed out:
“ … it’s this fine balancing act, and then you have to transmit the sensation of the emotions, but you have to regulate it in a way for whoever’s receiving it on the other end. So you’re doing a, complicated balancing equation. And like you’re saying, you can’t just be empathetic listener because you have a job to do. … The balance between conveying emotion while being attuned to the needs of the listener is where interpretation becomes an art.” Provider Pulse Episode 23: From Siberia to Harborview – Yuliya Speroff and the Art of Medical Interpreting (Part 1)
Cultural Brokering: When Words Aren’t Enough
Another theme we spent time on is cultural brokering — the skillful and delicate bridge-building interpreters often do. Providers rely heavily on idioms, metaphors, and cultural shorthand (“big picture,” “comfort care,” “your numbers look good”) to convey their message – often without realizing the challenges this may present for interpreters because these expressions don’t always land the same way in another language or cultural context.
In the podcast, we explore what it looks like when interpreters step in briefly to clarify intent, avoid misunderstandings, or help providers reframe explanations when needed. These are small moves with big impacts on patient safety and trust.
🟩 Learn more about Interpreting idioms here or take my CEU-eligible course on Idioms and Cultural References for Medical Interpreters here.
Advocacy Within Ethical Boundaries
Interpreters are trained to maintain strict ethical boundaries, but clinical interactions are messy, and sometimes patients need support beyond the words being said.
In the episodes, we talk about the moments when interpreters may need to briefly advocate — not by giving advice or inserting our opinions, but by ensuring the communication itself remains safe and effective in situations where a well-placed and thought-out intervention can be the difference between clarity and harm.
🟩 Read INTERPRETER ADVOCACY IN HEALTHCARE ENCOUNTERS: A CLOSER LOOK published by National Council on Interpreting in Health Care
The Reality of Tech in a Multilingual Healthcare System
We also touched on technology — AI translation, real-time transcription, ambient note-taking — and what it can and cannot do. Tech is advancing fast, but it when it comes to translation, it still struggles with nuance, culture, indirectness, and emotionally complex conversations.
In the podcast, I warned:
“AI … is a useful tool. But … when you’re doing this for … an Amharic or Somali … patient … you don’t have anyone checking [ the translation] to verify that it didn’t hallucinate anything … the liability rests with you.” Provider Pulse Ep. 24: From Siberia to Harborview – Yuliya Speroff and the Art of Medical Interpreting (Part 2)
Listen to the Full Episodes
The podcast goes deeper into all of these themes — with examples, stories, and candid moments about what medical interpreting really demands. If you are a medical provider and if you’ve ever wondered what improves or jeopardizes cross-linguistic care, or how interpreters shape communication in clinical settings, you’ll find a lot to think about in these conversations. If you are an interpreter or someone who is interested in going into this profession, these conversations may give you some food for thought – and some impetus for action!
🎙️Listen to the episodes wherever you get your podcasts (search for the keyword Ethnomed or Provider Pulse) or by following the links below:
🎙️ Podcast episodes that you can listen from a browser with transcripts:
- Part 1: Provider Pulse Episode 23 – The Art of Medical Interpreting Buzzsprout
- Part 2: Provider Pulse Episode 24 – Cultural Brokering & Communication Nuance Buzzsprout
🎙️ YouTube version (audio only):
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