French Medical Translators FAQ
Here at French Medical Translators we have racked up nearly 15 years of translation experience and receive queries each and every day. To help potential clients, we have decided to answer a few of our most frequent questions regarding our French to English medical translations. If you don't see your question answered, then head over to our contact page to let us know.
Ask us all about French Medical Translation...
Can I not just use Google Translate for my French medical translation?
For sure, machine translation tools such as Google translate are becoming much more effective nowadays. However, they are still quite a long way short of 100% accuracy and do struggle to build in any consistency and context checks. Humans still have a long road ahead in being expert translators, particularly when it comes to complex documents such as medical documentation.
My personal recommendation, if in doubt, is to use a machine translation tool - like Google translate - to experiment to see if the document is needed for translation (usually some documents are not as important, and a machine translation tool can help you to prioritise those which are needed for translation).
However, the caveat with all machine translation tools online is that your personal data will be uploaded to the cloud and could potentially be found by anybody.
So the two questions to ask yourself are: 1) do you feel comfortable allowing a machine to translate your own sensitive and complex medical documents?, and 2) do you feel comfortable uploading your sensitive personal data to the internet?
How much does a French medical translation typically cost?
This is a very difficult question to answer without first seeing the text. However, let's try to give you an idea.
The cost of a medical translation will typically be based on the length of the text (the total word count) plus any additional formatting requirements.
The shorter the document and simpler the format, the lower the cost will be. If you use a large translation agency specialising in many languages, the overheads will usually be higher and this impacts the overall total cost of the translation making things more expensive.
Here at French Medical Translators we are a much smaller translation agency and this helps us keep costs low. We are generally one of the lower priced French medical translation services out there. All of our quotes are issued with no commitment and free of charge which means you can go and compare this with other medical translation agencies to see for yourself.
What exactly is a certified medical translation?
In the UK, it is often necessary to have certified translations for official purposes. Unlike some European countries, the UK does not have a system of sworn translators. However, we do have a near-equivalent with certified translators. In order to issue a valid certified translation, it is necessary for a translator to hold valid qualifications and membership of an institute or association.
I have also recently written a blog post answering this question in a lot more detail here.
In my instance, all of my certified translations come with a letter of certification. This includes indication of my postgraduate qualifications in translation as well as my membership credentials. As a Chartered Linguist and Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists, you can rest assured that any translation you receive from me will be certified and recognised by the authorities for official use.
How long does a medical translation take from start to finish?
Much like the above question about the price of a medical translation, the amount of time required to translate your French medical documents will depend on the amount of words as well as the format.
Typically, I am able to translate around 3,000 words per working day. However, any additional formatting requirements can slow down this process.
We do not use any machine translation and all of our medical translations are completed by a human. Admittedly, this is slower than using a machine to translate. But the quality is much better and it avoids any mistakes. Of course, any urgent jobs are always prioritised - we understand that when it comes to your health, nothing is more important.
How to order a French medical translation in 4 easy steps
If you have never ordered a medical translation before, it can be a little difficult to navigate the process online - there appear to be endless translation agencies offering medical translation services.
Here at French Medical Translators, we like to make things as simple as possible.
To order a French medical translation, simply follow these easy steps...
QUOTE REQUEST
Fill in our contact form with a few basic details and upload your medical document for translation.
reply in 1 hour
Following receipt of your email and document, we will then reply within 1 hour with a precise cost estimate and turnaround time. All you need to do is approve and sign the quote to start the process.
we translate
Once you have confirmed the translation quote for your medical document(s), we will then busy ourselves behind the scenes working hard to produce your medical translation to a high standard of quality and always deliver on time and on budget.
ask questions
After final delivery of your medical translation, if you have any queries or questions we are always happy to help as part of the overall translation service.
Only once you are perfectly happy with the final job will you receive our invoice to pay.
Sound good? Get in touch!
If you have any queries still, or to chat more about your specific translation needs, we are also available to chat by phone.
Alternatively, get in touch using our secure contact form opposite and upload your medical document for translation to receive a quote within 1 hour.
+44(0)7 307 888 979