Medical Translation from English to Arabic

Tomedes recently provided medical translation from English to Arabic for a new client. We worked with a healthcare provider to ensure that they had the information in the language they needed in order to treat a particular patient. 

The individual in question was taken ill while overseas on business and the hospital wanted to be sure they understood his somewhat complex medical history in full. Tomedes stepped up to help, providing expert medical translation to Arabic in line with the hospital’s urgent timescale. 

Medical translation is one of a wide range of translation services that Tomedes provides. We explore what medical translation is and how it works below. 

Accurate English to Arabic Medical Translation Services

Our recent client needed medical translation from English to Arabic. Arabic is the world’s fifth most spoken language when ranked by native speaker numbers. Altogether, it has around 420 million speakers and includes 30 different dialects. 

Arabic is widely spoken across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. The country with the highest number of speakers is Egypt, which is home to 82 million Arabic speakers in total. Algeria, Sudan, Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria and Tunisia are also home to well over 10 million Arabic speakers each. 

With so many different dialects, it is essential when translating medical documents from English to Arabic to use the correct form of the language for the region in question. In the case of this client, for example, the request was for the medical documents to be translated into Massry, which is the dialect of Arabic used in Cairo and many of the surrounding Egyptian cities. 

As such, we turned to our leading Massry medical translator, to ensure that the client’s paperwork was translated accurately and efficiently. Our attention to detail in the way that we pair regional languages and dialects with knowledgeable translators with relevant experience has led to Tomedes building up a reputation for excellence over the years, as we have expanded to offer translation services around the world. 

A Vast Network of English to Arabic Medical Translators

All translation requires excellent attention to detail in order to ensure that it’s accurate. When it comes to medical translation, that level of attention to detail has to be exceptional. Even the smallest of errors could have major consequences. It’s a high-pressured undertaking each and every time. 

This is why we pair our medical translators so carefully with the work that we undertake. We operate a global network of trained, qualified medical translators (and medical interpreters) in order to meet the language needs of healthcare providers in a wide range of locations. 

By keeping our network up to date, we are able to respond to translation requests rapidly and efficiently, matching translators with the work required without any unnecessary delays. In a field where speed can save lives, this is hugely important. 

Each of our medical translators is a native speaker of the target language. Using a native speaker of the target language produces a more accurate and consistent translation than using a native speaker of the source language. In this instance, that meant using a native Massry speaker to work on the client’s medical translation to Arabic. 

How to Translate a Medical Document from English to Arabic

Have you used a medical translation service before? In case you haven’t, we’ll run through the steps involved, so that you know what to expect should you need to do so. Below we’ve outlined the process that we used for this client’s medical translation from English to Arabic, but the same process applies irrespective of the language pairing involved. 

Review the Source Document

The first step in any medical translation is to review the source document. This is the chance for the translation agency to check that they have everything the client has advised they will need to work on. They also need to check that the document makes sense in the original language, includes any/all appendices and is accessible (i.e. that it is legible in the case of hand-written documents or that the file can be opened in the case of electronic files). 

Looking for the Right English to Arabic Translator

The translation agency then needs to assign a translator with the right skills and experience for the job. For this client, that meant using our English to Arabic translation services. Our Arabic-speaking linguists span the Middle East and North Africa, so that we are confident we can always match not only the right dialect but also the right experience, whether that be legal, business, technical or, as in this case, calling on the services of our leading Arabic medical translator. 

Translating to a Deadline

With the right translator in place, it’s time for the translation to begin. Medical translation requires a delicate balance of speed and accuracy – the former needs to be achieved without compromising the latter! 

The translator needs to work fast and efficiently, using computer assisted translation (CAT) tools to help speed up the process (though never machine translation – it’s nowhere near accurate enough to trust with medical documents). 

During the translation process, the translator may need to check certain things with the client. This can be done by adding translator’s notes to the file and then liaising with the client about them. 

Proofreading

Before any translation is finalised, it should be proofread. This is a chance to catch any typos or awkward phrasing before the document is handed over to the client. It’s an important part of any translation process and particularly so for medical translations. 

Certified Medical Translation Ready for Client

One commonly requested element of medical translation services is the provision of a certificate of translation. Providing certified translation assures all those who have cause to read the translation that it is a true and accurate reflection of the original document. 

As part of our recent medical translation from English to Arabic, for example, the client requested that we provide a certificate of translation to authenticate the translated document. We were happy to do so – our certified translation service can be used for any type of translation. 

One-year Quality Guarantee

For this client, as for all Tomedes’ customers, we provided a one-year translation quality guarantee. We work hard to ensure that our quality assurance processes are outstanding. This is what gives us the confidence to issue our one-year quality guarantee with each and every translation. 

Of course, quality of service is about more than just the translation itself. That’s why every Tomedes client has a dedicated account manager to provide them with superb customer service. 

Conclusion

This client’s experience of our provision of medical translation from English to Arabic has highlighted five key points:

• Medical translation requires exceptional attention to detail. 
• Translating quickly must not be at the expense of accuracy. 
• It’s essential to use a native speaker of the target dialect, as well as the target language.
• Every translation must be proofread before being presented to the client. 
• Certified translation is often important when it comes to medical translation services.