The skills assessment we’ve developed for healthcare interpreters can seem daunting, but is not set up to be impossible. It’s designed to assess each candidate’s abilities in relationship to other professional interpreters, and was developed in consultation with an independent expert. Parts of the test do gauge a candidate’s knowledge of medical terminology and ability to handle complex or lengthy medical discussions, and other parts simulate real calls that an over-the-phone interpreter might expect to take. The developers of the assessment understand that an interpreter will not have perfect knowledge of all medical terminology in any language and that the best interpreters must request repetition and clarification while interpreting. This idea is built into how candidates are evaluated. There are two parts of the test, the first part is much shorter than the second, and not all candidates will move to the second part. This segmentation helps us more quickly differentiate between candidates with experience, especially since for many languages, we receive a large number of applications. We’re definitely working to expedite the testing and interview process for the benefit of those who submit resumes.