Medical Assessments

ALTA’s Interpretation Practice Test

The Interpretation test, developed and administered by ALTA Language Services, encompasses all of the important skills you need to demonstrate interpreting proficiency in healthcare settings. It is a free 30‑minute practice test that requires you to interpret from English to your target language and back. The test deals with different types of speech, a variety of vocabulary, and sample dialogue units of different lengths—you must be able to deal with idioms and phrases, and must be able to handle both formal and conversational speech.

Here are some important things to remember when taking the test:

The test is designed for candidates who have practiced interpretation skills—whether through formal training or self-study. Individuals with strong oral skills but no interpreter training may find ALTA’s interpreter test quite challenging.

The live interpretation test is given over the phone, with two evaluators participating (one for each language). The Spanish–English Medical Interpretation test is also available through our automated IVR system. To access the IVR practice test, you’ll have to log in to the ALTA portal using your access code as instructed in the email sent to you. You will then have the option to take the sample test over the phone, or through a browser with speakers or headphones and a microphone connected to your computer.

At the start of the test, you will be provided with the following instructions:

You are allowed to take notes on paper during the test, but you are requested to start interpreting as soon as the evaluator stops speaking. You are not allowed to use any electronic device (tablet, computer, smartphone) to take notes or look for words.
You will interpret the English portions into the target language, and you will interpret the target language portions into English.
Please do not begin interpreting the given unit of dialogue until the evaluator is finished speaking.
You may make 2 requests for repetition over the course of the test. If, after these 2 repetitions, you are unable to interpret a given unit of dialogue, the evaluator will simply move on to the next portion of the test. To have a dialogue repeated let your evaluator know or, for the IVR test, press the # key on your phone (test over the phone) or click on the repeat button (test in browser).

Before the test begins, you will be asked:

To say your full name
To agree to an honor statement: “I do hereby certify on my honor that I will take the test by myself and will derive no assistance during the time of the examination from any source whatsoever. I will also keep the content of the assessment confidential and will not share with peers, coworkers, or third parties.”

Here are some tips for candidates preparing to take the test:

The interpretation practice test is not progressive – that is, it does not start off at a low level of language and become progressively harder. After a short warm-up involving common greetings, difficult vocabulary and structures and basic vocabulary and structures can occur within the same units of dialogue. The dialogues are written to replicate authentic conversation.
The longest sample dialogue units are between 35 and 50 words. These occur several times throughout the test. There are also several units that are very brief – such as a single phrase or short sentence.
The vocabulary in the test is varied. While there are a number of words and phrases related to your profession, there are also general idioms and instances of slang that would occur in conversational dialogue.
The candidate is expected to able to adjust his or her register – that is, to be able to switch from more formal to less formal speech, and vice versa. This skill is tested a handful of times during the test, with various phrases and grammatical structures that are of a higher or lower register than the surrounding dialogue.
Scoring & Evaluation
Your performance evaluation focuses on two categories:
- Accuracy: Faithfulness to the source message and correct terminology in a medical context
- Fluency: The smoothness and natural flow of your interpretation
Your overall score combines both accuracy and fluency to reflect true interpreting proficiency.

Sample Medical Interpretation Test (Spanish)

The practice test has 6 dialogs. The regular test has an average of 20 dialogs and is 30-minute long.

Ready to test your interpreting skills? Fill out the form below to get started — or, if you prefer, give us a call at 1-888-465-4648 or email [email protected].

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