Medical records written in Spanish or English sometimes have to be translated into French for a doctor, an insurer or an organization in Quebec. Here is when a translation is needed, who can do it and how to avoid delays.

When you move to Quebec, file an insurance claim or seek recognition of your training, your medical documents follow you. If they are written in Spanish, or sometimes in English, the person or organization receiving them may ask for a French translation. In health care, a translation error is not just a matter of style: it can affect a diagnosis, a treatment or a decision about your file.

When do you need a French translation?

The most common situations:

• Newcomers from Spanish-speaking countries who want their new doctor or specialist in Quebec to understand their medical history, test results or prescriptions.
• Insurance or compensation claims (private insurers, CNESST, SAAQ) that include medical reports issued abroad.
• Health professionals trained in Latin America or Spain who must submit documents (diplomas, transcripts, internship certificates) to a Quebec professional order.
• Legal or administrative files handled in French, in which a party or an organization asks for a French version of documents written in English.

Spanish or English: not the same situation

In Quebec, documents written in a language other than French or English must generally be accompanied by a translation. For Spanish documents, a translation is therefore usually required.

Documents in English are often accepted as they are. A French translation becomes necessary when the recipient asks for it: for example, a French-speaking professional, an organization that processes the file in French, or legal proceedings. Ask before ordering: you may not need one.

Who can translate your documents?

Quebec organizations generally require a translation signed by a professional translator. The Quebec government’s rules for immigration documents, for example, require translations done in Canada to be made by a member of a recognized professional body such as OTTIAQ, and to bear the translator’s name and seal. Other organizations have similar rules: check the instructions of the one receiving your file.

A translation done by yourself, a relative or an online tool will generally not be accepted.

What makes medical translation demanding

A medical record combines specialized terminology, abbreviations, laboratory values and handwritten notes. The translator must:

• translate every element, including stamps, seals, signatures and handwritten notes, which must be translated or described;
• keep figures, units, dosages and reference ranges exactly as in the original;
• recognize drug brand names that do not exist in Canada and, where useful, give the active ingredient in a translator’s note;
• handle abbreviations that mean different things from one country to another, without interpreting the medical content;
• use the French medical terminology in use in Quebec.

Practical tips before you order

• Ask the receiving organization what it requires: certified translation, full record or certain pages only, original or copy.
• Send complete, legible scans, front and back, including stamps.
• Give the spelling of your name as it appears on your passport.
• Only have the necessary pages translated: a full hospital record can be long and costly, while a summary or a specific report is often enough.
• Allow some lead time: medical translation requires care.

An OTTIAQ certified translator in Ottawa–Gatineau

As a member of OTTIAQ (No. 34551), the Quebec professional order of translators, I translate medical documents from Spanish and English into French, with a signed certification statement. My experience in medical and pharmaceutical translation, more than 3.5 million words, allows me to handle reports, test results and prescriptions accurately. Your documents are handled in strict confidentiality.

Send me your documents and get a free quote within 24 hours.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Requirements vary by organization and program, and may change: always check the instructions of the organization requesting your document.