Who We Are

The International Medical Interpreters Association is a US-based international organization committed to the advancement of professional medical interpreters as the best practice to equitable language access to health care for linguistically diverse patients. Founded in 1986, with over 2,000 members, most providing interpreting services in over 70 languages, the IMIA is the oldest and largest medical interpreter association in the country. While representing medical interpreters as the experts in medical interpreting, membership to the IMIA is open to those interested in medical interpreting and language access. We currently have a division of providers, corporate members, and trainers. Policy makers, health care administrators, and others interested in medical interpreting are also welcome to join us as associate members. The IMIA has become the standard-setting organization for the profession of medical interpreters.

According to our founders and By Laws:

• The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in the following activities:
  • Define educational requirements and qualifications for medical interpreters
  • Establish professional standards of practice and norms of medical interpretation
  • Promote the establishment of professional interpretation and translation services by medical institutions and related agencies
  • Act as a clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information about medical interpretation-translation and related issues
  • Promote research into issues of cross-cultural communication in the healthcare setting
  • Promote the medical interpreting profession
• The Association shall strive to meet the above objectives by means such as the following:
  • Publish and promote periodicals, bulletins, notices, glossaries, dictionaries, reports, and any other publications that may further its objectives
  • Hold Conferences, Symposiums and Stakeholder meetings
  • Establish & maintain a certification process for medical interpreters
  • Maintain membership in professional organizations in related fields
  • Work actively with universities, foundations, government agencies, and other organizations in such matters as the training and continuing education of interpreters and translators