PERCEPTION OF INTERPRETER'S PROFESSIONAL ROLE IN HEALTH CARE SETTING FROM STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVE

The paper analyses healthcare interpreter's professional roles and boundaries from students' perspective. Health care interpreting as an independent profession has been developing within the frameworks of medical institutions; it is unavoidably influenced by values shared by medical professionals as representatives of the institution. On the other hand, health care interpreter frequently performs the function of cultural mediator, bridging the gaps in communication between health care service providers and users. These too aspects of interpreter mediated communication in health care setting have a significant potential for creating confusion in students' understanding of interpreter's professional roles as well as appreciation of its limits. The paper aims to identify students' tendencies in perception of interpreter's professional role in medical setting as well as to clarify their overall attitude to the profession. To achieve the aim we have conducted an experiment. The methodology of the empirical research included the method of survey based on questionnaire as well as the method of statistical analysis. The research findings reveal that students tend to trespass the boundaries of interpreter's professional role, they tend to get emotionally involved and some students admitted being disappointed in the profession due to uncertain professional roles and duties that may vary in hospitals and health centers across the sector. On the bases of the experiment the author formulates the recommendations that can be applied in developing and structuring both theoretical and practical master level courses on interpreting in health care settings.