This glossary of essential medical terms incorporates the work of about 30 interpreters who, for years, sent us hand-written flashcards and lists of words they came across when they interpreted in various health care settings. It differs from a dictionary because it seeks to reflect the language that patients and providers use during medical appointments. Translating those terms is often very challenging because we consider both medical terminology and the dynamic language spoken by the many populations that speak Spanish.
This glossary can also be used as a reference document, similar to a medical dictionary, but it was originally created as a starting point, to assist interpreters and those studying to become interpreters in building a medical vocabulary.