WSU students lead initiative to address shortage of certified medical interpreters

By: Monica Carrillo-Casas

Outlets: The Spokesman-Review

Published: February 24, 2026

Words: 686

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 4 days ago

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It can be hard to find someone to translate for health care appointments in the Inland Northwest.

A student-led initiative at Washington State University is addressing that.

WSU medical students Carmella Crooks and Victoria Caldera, both Venezuelan, are leading a pilot project aimed at increasing the number of certified medical interpreters and bridging language barriers many non-English speakers face. The student-led effort is backed by WSU and Nuestras Raíces.

“We knew that we were going …

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