In this workshop, we discuss the use of demand control schema (DCS) as a framework for making ethical decisions in interpreting and as a strategy for professional development.  Within healthcare, there are a wide variety of specializations.  While it is not realistic to expect that interpreters be intimately familiar with all of these settings, they are often faced with the challenge of navigating the demands in unfamiliar medical environments.  This workshop examines strategies used by interpreters to facilitate effective communication in one of these specialized settings – genetic counseling.  

Traditionally, interpreter training programs focus on the technical aspects of the job, along with an emphasis on rule-based approaches to ethical decision making.  However, ethical decisions require thoughtful consideration and reflection of the entire setting, including linguistic skills, ongoing analysis of the subject matter, interaction among discourse participants, cultural knowledge, and the resilience to make moment-by-moment decisions.   

This workshop exemplifies that interpreters who are well versed in DCS are better equipped to analyze the interpreting situation than those without DCS training.  A structure will be provided for discussing the work using non-judgmental, evaluative, concrete language, which can be used for guiding interpreters to recognize the impact they have on the interpreting environment 

Interpreter trainers will gain an appreciation for their responsibility to impart the concept of interpreting as a practice profession that requires professional development, including mentoring and performance feedback, throughout the professional interpreter’s career.