Serve as a key component of a care team by facilitating communication between between Spanish-speaking patients and their care professionals.
There is an urgent need for entry-level interpreters and translators in healthcare settings. According to recent figures, about 40,000 people of Hispanic/Latino ethnicity reside in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City metro area, many of whom speak little to no English.
With JCCC’s selective admission 20-credit hour program training, you can graduate in as few as three semesters, ready to bridge the language gap between patients and providers. Our reputation is so respected that many students are recruited before they complete the program.
Is JCCC’s Health Care Interpreting program for me?
Our Health Care Interpreting program admits 10-12 students per academic year. If you are interested in applying, you will need to be able to answer “yes” to these questions:
- Do you speak Spanish? Program admissions require you test at the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Advanced Mid sublevel, able to completely handle a variety of communicative exchanges and topics.
- Are you up to date on your vaccines?
- Can you pass a criminal background check?
- Are you a student in good academic standing?
Fall 2025 program is still testing!
Email Christina Wolff at cdecasqu@jccc.edu to set up testing for the selective admissions program.
If you are not a student, please apply to JCCC.
How do I apply for the Health Care Interpreting program?
To enroll in the Health Care Interpreting (HCI) program, you must:
- Have a minimum cumulative academic GPA of 2.0 or higher
- Complete the general application to JCCC
Once you are accepted by the College, you must demonstrate native or near-native fluency in both English and Spanish to enroll in the HCI program. You will be tested on your fluency through a written placement exam and an oral proficiency exam. Following these exams and a subsequent interview with the HCI supervisor, you may be approved to take an ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview-computer exam, or ACTFL OPIc exam.
Start your career as an entry-level interpreter and translator in a healthcare setting
Find employment projections and salary information at the Power BI Post Graduate Report.
In compliance with U.S. Department of Education regulations, JCCC provides information pertaining to professional licensure and certification for all relevant programs. Visit our Professional Licensure page for more information.
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Contact Info
Christina Wolff, Chair
Phone: 913-469-8500, ext. 3513
Location: LIB 342D
Email: cdecasqu@jccc.edu
