Middlebury Institute graduates discuss where they work today, how the Institute helped them get there, and what advice they’d give to current and future MIIS students.
My name is Alix van Buskirk and I graduated with my MA in Translation and Interpretation (Spanish) from the Middlebury Institute in 2009. I am currently the assistant manager of interpreter services at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health.
When I enrolled at the Middlebury Institute, I didn’t have a clear idea of what kind of interpreting I wanted to focus on. The program offers opportunities to explore various areas such as diplomatic interpreting and court interpreting. However, my career perspective changed significantly during my second year when we were offered the opportunity to volunteer as interpreters at RotaCare clinics. These clinics provide free care, and second-year students can volunteer to offer interpreting services for LEP (limited English proficiency) patients. This unique experience opened my eyes to healthcare interpreting as a career path. The instant gratification of addressing a critical need and helping patients receive the care they need is immensely fulfilling. Both patients and providers deeply appreciate the service we provide. This experience made me realize that healthcare interpreting was my true calling.
Thanks to the opportunities provided by the Middlebury Institute, I was able to apply and be accepted as an intern at Stanford Hospital. This experience further solidified my decision to pursue a career in healthcare interpreting. Working at Stanford Hospital was an emotional roller coaster—intensely enriching and stimulating at the same time.
Alix Van Buskirk initially wanted to be a conference interpreter, but a volunteer experience at the Institute set her on a different path.
After completing my master’s degree, my connections at the Middlebury Institute (MIIS) led to a recommendation to the director at Fresno Regional Medical Center, one of the largest hospitals in the Central Valley. They offered me the lead role for their brand-new interpreter services department. They ultimately hired me due to the esteemed reputation of holding a master’s degree from a highly prestigious institute. In this role, I was able to develop and enhance my management skills, further preparing me for the multifaceted nature of healthcare interpreting leadership.
In 2019, I attained the position of lead interpreter at Stanford Children’s Hospital, a place where many Institute graduates find themselves. After three years, I was promoted to assistant manager of interpreter services. This role allowed me to further expand my leadership abilities and continue contributing to the hospital’s mission of providing exceptional care to our diverse patient population.
There has been a surge in the need for healthcare interpreters, driven by the increasing LEP population, the COVID pandemic highlighting the importance of public and community health, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act emphasizing language access in healthcare. However, finding the talent we need is challenging because being an effective healthcare interpreter requires more than just fluency in two languages. Besides language proficiency, interpreters must understand how to navigate the healthcare system, have knowledge of different cultural beliefs around health, and be proficient in medical terminology and concepts.
To address this, we often turn to the Middlebury Institute when recruiting interpreters because their students typically come prepared to thrive in dynamic environments. For instance, an interpreter might need to handle a kidney transplant teaching session and quickly pivot to interpret for a family discussing options for a baby diagnosed with patent ductus arteriosus.
Stanford Medicine Children’s Health is one of the few institutions providing in-person interpreting. While there is a substantial need for remote interpreters, we are specifically seeking qualified interpreters for in-person services. Unfortunately, there are not enough qualified interpreters to meet the demand for these in-person services. The physical presence of an interpreter is critical to effective communication since over-the-phone interpreting cannot fully replicate the nuances and body language that a physical interpreter contributes to the interaction.
With language access in healthcare being legislated, there are many opportunities for language specialists despite concerns around automation. As language specialists, we can help guide technology to become a tool for better and more equitable access to healthcare, as well as fulfill needs that technology cannot. For example, we are currently striving to transform our interpreters into integral members of the care team where they not only interpret but are a vital part of a patient’s healthcare journey. This means that our team not only conducts language assessments and determines each family’s individual language needs, but also documents these needs and coordinates the communication with providers.
Those who will excel in this dynamic environment are those who understand how to leverage new tools and knowledge. It’s all about being prepared to adapt to whatever challenges may arise.
In my experience, Middlebury Institute students possess these skills and can easily integrate and adapt to different contexts. That’s exactly what we look for in my department—individuals with a specific skill set who understand how to study, research, and prepare for various topics.
Knowing what to anticipate and how to prepare for something outside of their usual scope is crucial, and Middlebury Institute graduates excel in this regard.
Master of Arts in Translation; Translation and Interpretation; Conference Interpretation
| by Angela Izi Nkusi
Sijin Xian, who completed her master’s in conference interpretation this spring, won first prize in the prestigious contest organized by Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
| by Caitlin Fillmore
Students have put their skills to work on a years-long data analysis and marketing project through a partnership between the Institute’s META Lab and the United Way of Monterey County.
| by Sierra Abukins
The inaugural fellows created a bilingual booklet to help the community engage - in both English and Spanish - with new sidewalk murals along routes to Salinas schools. The multi-year partnership with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County lets faculty and students put their skills to work on local community projects.
