Native English (GB) speaker in Barrow In Furness, United Kingdom
"Helping you share medical journal articles with the anglophone world"
I have worked with medical journal articles ever since I began my career, and due to the global pandemic that started in 2020, I have also participated in many projects regarding clinical trials and vaccine surveillance.
In particular, I have translated articles from several European and Latin American journals, with the subjects of some of my most recent projects being:
Given my lifelong interest in human anatomy and physiology, it’s no surprise that I specialise in medical and pharmaceutical translation.
In particular, I specialise in the translation of:
Medical journal articles e.g., case reports, case series, and medical research articles.
Clinical trial documentation (in particular, adverse event forms and reports relating to adverse events).
What makes me qualified to work in medical and pharmaceutical translation?
As a linguist, I am a language specialist, but I ensure I have the required medical knowledge to excel in my area of expertise by undertaking regular continuing professional development (CPD).
The two main professional organisations for translation in the UK, the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) and the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), recommend completing 30 hours of CPD each year, however I have consistently exceeded this target:
2019/2020: 42.6 hours
2020/2021: 72.3 hours
2021/2022: 52.3 hours (to date)
My background before becoming a translator
Before kickstarting my translation career, I taught English for two years in Puebla, Mexico. I fully embraced the Mexican culture and took every opportunity to further perfect my Spanish.
Surprisingly, I started picking up Portuguese because some of my students were Brazilian. Given my love of languages, I fully embraced the challenge of teaching myself Portuguese, and before long, I was proficient enough to use it professionally.
Fast forward to 2020, and I had just completed my master’s degree in Applied Translation Studies at the University of Leeds, and I made the decision to launch my own business, Bell Johnson Translations.
Within my first three months in business, I had become:
the social media manager of the ITI Spanish Network
the deputy coordinator of the ITI Portuguese Network
This is how I manage terminology consistency in my area of expertise
Termbases
I have created and maintained individual termbases for each of my clients as well as for specific areas of medicine. This ensures consistency in all of my work, even when different terms are required.
This is how I continue my learning in my area of expertise
Continuing professional development (CPD)
CPD is a translator’s best friend. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to produce high quality translations in such specialised areas. I am committed to learning and regularly undertake monthly training in various areas of translation and medicine.
My professional methodology for a standard translation project is
Read the text
The first thing I do is read the source text (you would be surprised how many translators dive into the task without reading all of the text).
Then, I ask myself these two fundamental questions:
Who is the translation aimed at?
What is the purpose of the translation?
These two questions provide the foundation for the translation task, enabling me to tailor the translation to the end reader’s requirements. For example, would it be more appropriate to use “myocardial infarction” or “heart attack”?
Self-revision
Once I have completed the translation, I always perform a self-bilingual review of the text to ensure accuracy and precision in my work.
I have worked with Andrew on several projects and can attest to his excellent translation skills. He is organised, friendly, and a great communicator. I would highly recommend him.