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About Us

The University of Michigan Health System treats thousands of deaf or Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients each year. For them, a visit to the doctor would be confusing and even dangerous without a trained medical interpreter.

Interpreter Services has been providing interpreters since the 1990s, and demand for our services has skyrocketed over the years. In 1990 we processed 370 interpreter requests the entire year. We now fill over 2,000 requests per month.

We currently have 20 staff interpreters, five administrative staff and a pool of over 100 temporary interpreters, covering more than 40 languages. We're committed to:

Our interpreters are carefully screened and highly trained. Along with a mastery of languages, many have medical backgrounds. To help them enhance their skills, we offer educational options ranging from medical terminology courses to Bridging the Gap, the nation's premier medical interpreter training program.

We're dedicated to helping LEP and deaf patients enjoy equal access to outstanding health care. We welcome your suggestions on how we can best achieve this goal.