HM2PA Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 How much /hour is being bilingual worth, particularly in an area of high need for spanish speaking interpreters? I'm borderline bilingual in spanish and I am trying to decide whether to put in the work to learn formal medical spanish and get certified (to substantiate my proficiency in medical spanish) I live and plan to work in an area with a very substantial spanish speaking population... Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator ventana Posted January 26, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 26, 2014 ???? maybe 10k per year? tough part is that you will not generate any more money so not really worth any more.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted January 26, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 26, 2014 Might save money on a translator or bring in more Hispanic patients Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HM2PA Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 I know that In Washington state DSHS spanish/English interpreters get paid $30/hour...and they are brought in anytime a pt doesn't speak English... Having a bilingual PA would save the clinic the cost of an interpreter... Gotta be worth something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted January 26, 2014 Administrator Share Posted January 26, 2014 But patients who speak Spanish only, such that they need a translator, are probably only reimbursed at Medicaid rates, for the most part, so attracting a larger Spanish-only population doesn't make sense on a per-patient reimbursement basis. To be blunt, it doesn't make financial sense to pay you more to attract patients who bring in less money for a private practice. You're more likely to GET a (lower paying) job at an access clinic, but not more likely to make a larger salary at a private clinic that individually contracts with PAs. By all means, learn medical Spanish, and know it will help land you jobs and help patients who need it, but don't do it in the expectation of a large salary boost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted January 26, 2014 Moderator Share Posted January 26, 2014 I have seen jobs that require a pa be bilingual. they don't pay more but they get you the job. I would not expect more for being bilingual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burnpac Posted February 1, 2014 Share Posted February 1, 2014 I have seen jobs that require a pa be bilingual. they don't pay more but they get you the job. I would not expect more for being bilingual. Agree with EMEDPA. I live in the Central San Joaquin Valley, and being bilingual is definitely a plus. I would encourage you to polish your language skills for the simple reason that it gives you a competitive advantage over the PA who is monolingual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HospitalRecruiting Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 In my experience being bilingual is not usually something that employers will pay extra for. That doesn't mean it's not worth it to continue your pursuit of certification, because being bilingual is definitely a door opener in crowded job markets and a difference maker when employers look at two candidates who otherwise appear to be equal. Best of luck with your job search, Mike @ HospitalRecruiting.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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