Interpreting and Professionalism:  A Roundtable Discussion

How often have you included the word “professionalism” (or professional, or profession) as you explained your work to another person?  While we may often refer to professionalism, how do we know that our understanding or intent is shared? Numerous studies state that the term “professionalism” is not often consistently defined within any given discipline which presents unique challenges when trying to identify attitudes, behaviors or attributes of a professional.  In this 3-hour session, we will explore “professionalism” by looking at ways it is framed and defined in various professions, including health care, social work and interpreting.  Through discussions with our spoken and/or visual interpreting colleagues, we will identify ways our actions and decisions exemplify professionalism.  Additionally, we will review and discuss various interpreting-related codes of ethics to gain a deeper understanding of this concept and how it is used in our field.  Join us for a morning of lively professional discussion with a variety of interpreting colleagues!