So, it's been a while since I stopped being a video medical interpreter and I'm a translator now (basically only work with text now, and interpreters only do voice) but I'm still in touch with some of my former coworkers, and boy one of them hit me with a realization today:
Apparently so many medical staff and providers are under the impression that audio or video interpreters are not real people, that they're "virtual" or fake people, and with the AI boom, some of them think that they're AI programs??
Which actually goes a looong way to explain why some of them have downright awful behavior with them tbh (srsly it's so bad that I didn't care to be paid a bit less as a translator >.<)
So for anyone reading here who might work in field that requires them to deal with audio or video interpreters, please, please know this:
Those are NOT computer or virtual or fake people, those are real people working remotely to do the interpretation, there is a real person behind the voice and/or screen you're using to communicate, so please, don't treat them like a machine.
So, don't be mean, rude or condescending, if you're too tired or burned out in your job to be nice, being civil and respectful will do, and I'm certain, your experience with them will be a lot better if you can do that.











