Medical Assistant / Spanish Medical Interpreter
Position Summary
Faith Family Medical Center is seeking a bilingual Medical Assistant / Spanish Medical Interpreter to serve as an essential member of the clinical team.
The primary responsibility of this position is to provide accurate, professional, and compassionate Spanish-English medical interpretation and translation for patients, providers, nurses, and staff. The employee will facilitate effective communication between Spanish-speaking patients and FFMC staff throughout the patient's care, including medical visits, telephone calls, patient education, referrals, procedures, follow-up instructions, and other patient interactions.
When interpretation and translation needs have been addressed, the employee will assist the clinical and front office teams with Medical Assistant, administrative, and other assigned duties as time allows. When a conflict occurs between interpretation needs and routine secondary duties, interpretation and translation responsibilities take priority.
This position reports directly to the Clinic Director and is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Organization Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
Driven by faith, we provide hope and healing to our hardworking neighbors in need.
Vision
Our vision is that all Middle Tennesseans have the healthcare home they need to lead a fulfilling life.
Values
At Faith Family Medical Center, our values are to:
· Love First
· Inspire Hope
· Serve with Grit
· Set the Standard
· Always Believe
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
I. Spanish-English Medical Interpretation and Translation — PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY
1. Provides Spanish-English medical interpretation as the primary responsibility of the position.
2. Provides accurate, complete, impartial, and professional interpretation between Spanish-speaking patients and FFMC providers, nurses, clinical staff, front office staff, and other personnel.
3. Provides interpretation during medical appointments, including history-taking, examinations, treatment discussions, procedures, patient education, informed consent discussions, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
4. Provides Spanish-English interpretation during telephone calls involving patients, providers, nurses, referral coordinators, pharmacies, laboratories, and other healthcare organizations as needed.
5. Provides interpretation for referral-related communications, including scheduling, referral instructions, specialist appointments, diagnostic testing, and follow-up requirements.
6. Translates written materials between Spanish and English as needed, including patient instructions, educational materials, forms, letters, notices, and other patient-related documents within the scope of the position.
7. Accurately interprets medical terminology and healthcare information while maintaining the meaning, intent, and tone of the original communication.
8. Does not independently explain, interpret, alter, or provide medical advice beyond what is communicated by the patient or healthcare professional.
9. Communicates patient questions, concerns, symptoms, and responses accurately to the appropriate provider or staff member.
10. Identifies situations in which a language barrier may affect patient understanding, safety, informed consent, treatment adherence, or access to care and promptly communicates those concerns to the appropriate provider or supervisor.
11. Maintains strict confidentiality and professional boundaries when interpreting sensitive medical, personal, financial, or other protected patient information.
12. Uses professional judgment regarding the need for interpretation and ensures that Spanish-speaking patients have meaningful access to information necessary for their care.
13. Develops and maintains working knowledge of commonly used medical terminology in both English and Spanish.
14. Assists FFMC in maintaining a welcoming and culturally responsive environment for Spanish-speaking patients.
15. Prioritizes interpretation and translation needs over routine Medical Assistant and administrative duties whenever the responsibilities conflict.
16. Other Medical Assistant, clinical, front office, and administrative duties are performed as time allows after immediate interpretation and translation needs have been addressed.
II. Clinical / Medical Assistant Responsibilities
When interpretation and translation responsibilities do not require the employee's immediate attention, the employee will assist the clinical team with duties including, but not limited to:
1. Treats every patient with loving respect and provides excellent customer service.
2. Maintains steady patient workflow and ensures that clinical workups are completed accurately and efficiently.
3. Takes and records patient vital signs accurately.
4. Assists nurses and providers with examinations and patient care as needed.
5. Cleans exam rooms, equipment, and supplies after each use.
6. Ensures that exam rooms are stocked and prepared for patient care.
7. Takes phone messages for nurses and providers and appropriately documents messages in the EHR.
8. Assists with laboratory preparation.
9. Assists with referrals and referral-related tasks.
10. Performs other Medical Assistant duties consistent with training, competency, and applicable scope of practice.
III. Front Office / Administrative Support Responsibilities
When interpretation and translation responsibilities and immediate clinical needs have been addressed, the employee may assist the front office team with:
1. Kindly greeting and welcoming each patient and communicating with patience and professionalism.
2. Assisting with patient check-in and check-out.
3. Scheduling and rescheduling patient appointments.
4. Sending appropriate patient and staff messages through the EHR.
5. Providing patients with the appropriate paperwork and forms.
6. Answering telephone calls in a professional, kind, and respectful manner.
7. Assisting with administrative tasks and other front office responsibilities as directed.
8. Performing other duties as assigned.
Ideal Candidate Qualifications
· High school diploma or GED required.
· Medical Assistant diploma or formal Medical Assistant training preferred; relevant healthcare experience may be considered.
· Fluent Spanish-English verbal communication skills required.
· Demonstrated ability to provide accurate Spanish-English medical interpretation and translation required.
· Ability to communicate effectively using medical terminology in both English and Spanish.
· At least one year of experience working in a medical or healthcare setting preferred; relevant school-based clinical training may be considered.
· Medical Assistant certification preferred. If certified, applicant must provide appropriate documentation.
· Current CPR certification required.
· Appropriate immunizations and health records must be current. FFMC may assist with required immunizations when appropriate.
· Ability to maintain strict patient confidentiality.
· Ability to work effectively with patients, providers, nurses, and staff from diverse backgrounds.
· Ability to demonstrate compassion, patience, professionalism, and excellent customer service.
· Ability to prioritize competing responsibilities while maintaining interpretation and translation as the primary function of the position.
Knowledge
The successful candidate should possess:
1. Knowledge of medical terminology in both English and Spanish.
2. Knowledge of healthcare communication and medical interpretation practices.
3. Knowledge of patient confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries.
4. Knowledge of basic medical office procedures and clinical workflows.
5. Knowledge of Medical Assistant responsibilities and basic patient care procedures.
6. Knowledge of electronic health records and basic computer systems.
7. Knowledge of the importance of accurate communication in maintaining patient safety and quality of care.
Skills
The successful candidate should demonstrate:
1. Fluent Spanish-English oral communication and medical interpretation skills.
2. Strong Spanish-English written translation skills.
3. Ability to accurately interpret medical terminology, provider instructions, patient questions, symptoms, and responses.
4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
5. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
6. Ability to communicate sensitive medical information with professionalism, compassion, and discretion.
7. Ability to accurately use and navigate an electronic health record.
8. Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple responsibilities.
9. Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
10. Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Performance Expectations
Because interpretation and translation are the primary responsibilities of this position, the employee is expected to remain readily available to provide Spanish-English interpretation whenever needed during clinic operations.
Interpretation and translation needs take priority over routine secondary duties. When interpretation is not immediately required, the employee is expected to use available time productively by assisting the clinical and front office teams with assigned Medical Assistant and administrative responsibilities.
The employee may be redirected from a secondary duty at any time to provide interpretation or translation services based on patient, provider, or clinic needs.
The employee is expected to demonstrate flexibility, professionalism, compassion, confidentiality, accuracy, and a commitment to providing equitable care to Spanish-speaking patients.
Work Schedule
Full-Time: 40 hours per week
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Contact Information and Application Procedure
Qualified candidates should email a cover letter and resume in one PDF attachment to:
[email protected]
No phone calls, please.
Website: http://faithmedical.org/Careers
Pay: $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
