Zones of uncertainty: Exploring medical interpreting in Turkey in the aftermath of the pandemic

This thesis examines the role of healthcare interpreters in Turkey and how their interpretation services inform patient outcomes and satisfaction with healthcare services. The study aims to reveal how the pre-COVID practices of healthcare interpreters informed their remote interpreting practices both during and after COVID era. To do so, semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten interpreters, revealing their challenges and sense of fulfillment from helping patients communicate with healthcare providers. The habitus of healthcare interpreters is supposed to be influenced by their experiences, education, and cultural background, which shapes and in turn is shaped by how they interpret and mediate communication between patients and healthcare providers. However, the findings suggest that since healthcare interpreting is not institutionalized in Turkey, interpreters work in a zone of uncertainty where they do not share the same habitus and norms as the patients and providers. The study also suggests that research can contribute to the improvement of healthcare services and the development of training programs for healthcare interpreters.