Approaching machine translation in the medical and health field: An exploratory study

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a qualitative exploratory study in which freelance and in-house medical translators working with the English-Spanish language pair were interviewed to explore their use of machine translation (MT): how and why they have introduced this technology into their workflow, what quality MT offers and what it depends on, to what extent MT has changed the way they approach the translation process, what impact it has on their professional profile and tasks, how MT influences the competences to be acquired, or what they think about how future translators should be trained. Considering the specificities of medical and health translation, the results obtained provide an overview of the impact of MT on this professional activity from the perspective of practising translators. They also raise interesting questions regarding the redefinition of the translator’s roles (e.g., the promotion of the role as a specialist in the medical field and that of a language consultant in a broader sense), their potential training needs (which emphasise the development of language and writing skills, critical and ethical use of technology, and thematic competence), and the future of the profession (taking into account sensitive areas where there is still no room for automation).