Work with Andrew Bell!

Medical and pharmaceutical translation specialist

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