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Medical interpreter and educator Yuliya Speroff traces her path from a book-filled childhood in Siberia to high-stakes conversations in Seattle hospitals. 

She explains how medical interpreting in the U.S. often falls to interpreters juggling work for many different fields, how vicarious trauma can affect medical interpreters, and what it means to convey emotion faithfully—without theatrics. 

Along the way: a rare moment of acknowledgment that stayed with her, the cardiology lecture that hooked her on medical interpretation, and a reminder that empathy in care must be both deep and disciplined. 

Find more interpreter resources at Yuliya's blog: https://medicalinterpreterblog.com/

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