Medical Book Translation

What Medical Books Do We Translate?

We accept any medical books for translation:

• Professional and highly specialized materials
• Medical textbooks
• Reference guides
• Research papers
• Publications

We most often receive books in PDF format, but we also work with others (DOCX, TXT, etc.). The only limitation is that we do not work with any e-book formats (e.g., EPUB, MOBI).

Your Medical Book Translation Will Follow a Proven Process

We break down the entire process into steps:

1. Place an order: We analyze the book and your request, then calculate the cost.
2. Select a translator who has knowledge in the medical field and experience with similar texts (e.g., for a surgery book, we find a specialist familiar with surgery).
3. Finalize terminology. We create a glossary to incorporate your preferences.
4. Create a translation schedule. We break the book into chapters/parts and set deadlines for each segment.
5. An editor reviews each translated segment. We can also provide you with intermediate results for your feedback and process control.
6. Formatting. Once all parts are translated, we compile them into a single document, create a table of contents, number pages, and add cross-references.
7. A proofreader checks the final version to eliminate errors and ensure consistent terminology usage.

Below, we explain the most important stages in translating medical books.

How We Select Translators

An automated algorithm helps us quickly find the right translator, considering:

• Medical expertise (relevant work experience, education, or training).
• Overall translation experience, including with medical texts.
• Translation quality: accuracy, proper use of terminology, etc.
• Internal editor ratings and translator performance scores from past orders.

A client requested the translation of a veterinary book. To select the right team (translator + editor), we initially provided sample translations from three candidates without medical backgrounds. The client was not satisfied with any of them. So we organized a second round with two translators who had medical expertise, including one former veterinarian. The client approved their work, and the project proceeded successfully.

This experience confirmed that translating medical books requires subject-matter expert translators.

Excerpt from a Veterinary Book in English

Example: Translating a Veterinary Book into Russian

We Create a Glossary

Medical literature contains many specialized terms that require precise equivalents in the target language. To ensure accuracy and consistency, we create a terminology glossary:

• Collaborative alignment: You’ll have access to the glossary to provide feedback, leave comments, or ask questions to the translator.
• Consistent terminology: The glossary ensures that the same terms and expressions are translated consistently throughout the book.

By the way, if you already have a glossary, please send it when placing your order.

Glossary fragment for translation of a book on ophthalmology

We Accommodate Your Formatting Preferences

There are two formatting options for medical book translations:

Basic formatting

We deliver the translation in a Word document. We omit illustrations and other graphics but provide translations of their text in a separate correspondence table (original vs. translation).

Important! This formatting is included in the translation cost.

Example: Simplified formatting of the book An Atlas of Interpretative Radiographic Anatomy of the Dog & Cat that we translated:

The original book had custom layout and illustrations

The translation used a simplified layout

Exact Match Formatting

This is an optional paid service. With exact match formatting, your translated medical book will mirror the original layout:

• All pictures, diagrams, and charts are preserved.
• Specific requests are accommodated, such as adding or removing images.
• Fonts are chosen to closely match the original, and all formatting—including color highlights, alignments, and indents—is maintained.

So far, we have not dealt with an exact-match formatting project for a medical book, as publishers usually have their own designers. Therefore, we don't have examples of this option.

By the way, we translate other medical texts as well.

We translate:

• Medical texts: Scientific articles, textbooks, manuals, instructions, etc.
• Medical documents: Sick leave certificates, medical reports, statements, etc.