Which CAT tool is most recommended for medical tanslator?
Thread poster: Susan Li
Susan Li
Susan Li
United States
Local time: 15:31
English to Chinese
+ ...
Jan 30, 2017

I am an English-Chinese translator specializing in medical and biotech. I just started so I'm wondering if it's necessary to purchase SDL Trados? 

 
Elif Baykara Narbay
Elif Baykara Narbay  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 22:31
German to Turkish
+ ...
Such a decision depends on various factors. Jan 30, 2017

I understand that Chinese may pose other difficulties in terms of character recognition etc. But apart from the language constraints, selection and buying a CAT tool depend on your specific conditions.
I am a medical translator too and I am translating quite a lot of documents every month. However, most of them are either in form of a "project package" which is actually a file delivery format used by agencies to send a complete set of CAT projects including termbases, translation memories
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I understand that Chinese may pose other difficulties in terms of character recognition etc. But apart from the language constraints, selection and buying a CAT tool depend on your specific conditions.
I am a medical translator too and I am translating quite a lot of documents every month. However, most of them are either in form of a "project package" which is actually a file delivery format used by agencies to send a complete set of CAT projects including termbases, translation memories etc. Also, some translation companies require the utilization of a CAT tool and if you want to work with them, you should use one

Another group of my files consists of word and pdf files and it is very convenient for me to use a CAT tool so I can more easily evaluate the files before starting the translation, have a better control of the workflow etc. CAT tools also enable an efficient quality assurance which comes very handy in large files.

On the other hand, some colleagues translate mainly medical reports which are scanned, uneditable pdf files or even photos! In that case, using a CAT tool may be tricky.

Another point is to decide which CAT tool you will buy. This topic was covered in many fora. Visiting them is a good idea. I use memoQ and I am happy with it. I also use/used Trados and some other tools. Actually, they are very similar for me because I am a basic user and I can't evaluate their differences.

I hope this helps

Elif
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Susan Li
Susan Li
United States
Local time: 15:31
English to Chinese
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Job posting Jan 30, 2017

Thanks for prompt reply and it's very helpful.

I saw a lot of job posting requiring SDL Trados to apply and if you don't have one, you are not qualified to apply. Definately you cannot apply SDL Trados-related jobs if you have another CAT tool. So do I need to participate relevent training course and equip with SDL Trados now even if I haven't got many assignments at the beginning?

[Edited at 2017-01-30 18:18 GMT]


 
Elif Baykara Narbay
Elif Baykara Narbay  Identity Verified
Türkiye
Local time: 22:31
German to Turkish
+ ...
Trados is rarely a must. Jan 30, 2017

Even by agencies, the term "Trados" is used as a general name for CAT tools. Definitely, there are specific cases where Studio Trados (usually with specified versions) is required. However, many CAT tools share a specific translatable file format which you can use with Studio Trados or memoQ or some other CAT tools.

Usually, especially in the beginning, you will need to learn a lot and such switches would not be easy. But keep in mind that these programs are designed for translators
... See more
Even by agencies, the term "Trados" is used as a general name for CAT tools. Definitely, there are specific cases where Studio Trados (usually with specified versions) is required. However, many CAT tools share a specific translatable file format which you can use with Studio Trados or memoQ or some other CAT tools.

Usually, especially in the beginning, you will need to learn a lot and such switches would not be easy. But keep in mind that these programs are designed for translators (and for agencies of course) and not many of us are IT geeks So, with time you can come to a level you believe it is necessary.

I would strongly recommend that you take your time before actually purchasing a CAT tool. Usually, they are not very cheap even though they pay off quite soon. There a numerous webinars (both free and paid) on ProZ, and the relevant companies offer such webinars and training materials. You can also visit Youtube for tutorials. Also, there is a very nice blog by Emma Goldsmith on

https://signsandsymptomsoftranslation.com/

If your work plans allow, you can take your time to gather more information and you can also use the trial versions of the CAT tools. I used memoQ for 45 days before purchasing.

And before purchasing a CAT tool, I also visited a number of fora where users share their experiences and more importantly, the problems they faced when using a CAT tool. Problems and mistakes are great teachers

Elif
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Which CAT tool is most recommended for medical tanslator?







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