Biogen Foundation Grant Restores Bunker Hill Community College Medical Interpreter Community Access Program
Allows continuation of training course and employment pathway for medical interpreters to provide equitable, culturally competent care in Greater Boston hospitals
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
The Biogen Foundation has awarded Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) a $200,000 grant to support the College’s Medical Interpreter Community Access (MICA) Program. The grant will fund the Medical Interpreter program, which is free to students who meet program financial qualifications for the 2024-25 academic year.
“Medical interpretation is critical to equity in any healthcare setting,” said BHCC Dean of Workforce and Economic Development Kristen McKenna. “The Biogen Foundation’s support of the MICA program is an investment in equity across the healthcare system and will help to ensure the availability of interpretive services to all patients as well as access to this important career path to qualified individuals.”
“The MICA program has become a critical tool enabling Greater Boston’s healthcare systems to provide culturally competent care,” said Teresa Cachero, Ph.D., Chair of the Biogen Foundation’s Board of Directors and Biogen Vice President of Asset Development and Portfolio Management. “We’re excited to support BHCC to preserve this program and keep new ranks of much-needed interpreters flowing into the local healthcare system, making a meaningful difference for patients and their families.”
The MICA program is open to English speakers fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Haitian Creole, or Mandarin Chinese. The course is 10 weeks and includes 60 hours of remote instruction and up to 20 hours of prep for the national exam, the NBCMI (National Board of Certified Medical Interpreters). It also includes a 40-hour internship at a local healthcare partner. To enter the program, students must demonstrate fluency in a program language and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
With funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the MICA program began in 2021 and has a proven track record of successfully graduating and placing students in hospital positions. ARPA funding ended this year. The Biogen Foundation grant allows the program to renew, supporting a cohort of 30 students who, once graduated, have the potential to serve 60,000 patients and families each year, many of whom will be immigrant and low-income.
The program is free to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and those with refugee/asylum or protected status who can demonstrate financial need. For more information on the program or to complete the online application, visit the program website at www.bhcc.edu/workforce/career/medicalinterpreterprogram/.
About the Biogen Foundation
Established in 2002, the Biogen Foundation seeks to advance better health by collaborating with high-impact partners in local communities. Through the Foundation, we strive to make an impact beyond our medicines, focusing our grantmaking on equitable access to healthcare by strengthening health systems and providing access to nutritious food, a critical social determinant of health. For more information, please visit: www.biogen.com/company/biogen-foundation.
Media Contact:
Brendan P. Hughes, Director of Public Affairs
Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA 02129
Phone: 617-937-9365; Email: brendan.hughes@bhcc.edu
About Bunker Hill Community College
With more than 50 years of academic excellence, Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC) is Massachusetts' largest community college, annually welcoming a diverse community of around 16,000 students. With campuses in Charlestown and Chelsea, BHCC extends its reach across several locations in Greater Boston. The College offers associate degrees and certificates, early college and dual enrollment, community education, corporate training, and industry-specific training programs. BHCC is celebrated for its diversity, boasting a student body where 65% identify as people of color and more than half are women. The College also embraces a global perspective, with over 600 international students representing 90 countries and conversing in more than 65 languages. Our commitment to diversity is further reflected in BHCC's designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI).