Medi-Sign — A Complete Medical Sign Language Course in ASL
Online Course
Medi-Sign – A Complete ASL Medical Sign Course
An Introductory Course In American Sign Language For Medical Practitioners!
Take a Sneek Peak
Get an inside look at the course:
Medi-Sign - A Complete ASL Medical Sign Course
Course Description
Medi-Sign is a medical sign language course designed to help health care professionals (doctors, school and community health nurses, emergency room and hospital staff, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, state patrol and police officers, and other first response and health care personnel) learn occupational specific ASL by offering the type of language found in daily health care communication. Medi-Sign's content was compiled from data collected from medical personnel throughout the United States and Canada. Medi-Sign is structured to offer medical sign language vernacular involved in typical diagnostic and health care professional/patient communication.
The Medi-Sign course combines practical daily medical sign language for health care providers with an organized introduction to American Sign Language grammar and structure.
Please consider supporting our work with a donation to the S.E.E.K. organization that developed Medi-Sign and is offering the online learning course for free. S.E.E.K.’s mission is to advance communication between the Deaf and Hearing communities.
The Medi-Sign online video course can be completed without a written textbook. However, an accompanying printed Medi-Sign book is available that may be useful for study and reminder purposes.
This text can be ordered and is free except for a $25 shipping and handling fee. Please click here to go to the Medi-Sign Book page.
The best way to learn medical sign language
Patient consideration
When a Deaf patient realizes that hospital or clinic staff are attempting to learn or are skilled and communicate in ASL, they are more confident in the care and possible clear communication that will occur during their medical experiences.
Medi-Sign Addresses These Medical Concerns
Chapters have doctor/patient discussion regarding: Pain, Vehicular Injuries, Vision Problems, Injuries Relating to Falls, Back Injuries, Coughs, Drug Use, Allergies, Medications, Breathing Discomfort, Diabetes, Urinary Tract Symptoms, Domestic Abuse, STDs, and Sexual History.
There are also chapters covering: Cardiovascular Assessment, Family History, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, Kidney Stones, Major Illnesses, Tetanus Shot, Appendicitis, Pregnancy, Abortion, Food Poisoning, Eyes and Ears, Rashes, Bites, Poisoning, and Burns.
Immediate communication
During emergency medical situations, an ASL interpreter isn’t always available. Emergency personnel would greatly benefit from communicating with deaf patients directly.
Patients’ health could be compromised
Interpreters are often not available in rural areas or in emergency situations. Patients’ health could be compromised if accurate and clear communication is not available. On-site medical staff with Medi-Sign training can provide the high-level care everyone deserves.
About The Author
Dr. Joseph began his career as a professional educator and taught at several Universities and colleges since the early 1970s.
He served as an interpreter in medical and legal settings as well as in high schools and colleges since 1976. He has been active in the Deaf Community throughout his adult life. He served on the Alaskan Governor's Committee on Employment for Persons with Disabilities and has received several major awards for his ground-breaking research in communication and youth development.
Dr. Joseph’s Medical Sign Language, published in 1983, offered a dictionary of ASL signs for commonly used medical terms.
Dr. Joseph’s internationally known programs titled Sign with your Baby in the U.S. and Dr. Joseph Garcia's Complete Guide To Baby Sign Language in the UK have been credited with beginning the baby signing revolution.
His military emergency response background coupled with decades of signing experience have resulted in the creation of the Medi-Sign program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The complete video course is available to be used on most electronic devices.
The Medi-Sign Program was developed by the S.E.E.K. non-profit organization with the help of the Institute for Emergency Medical Education, University of Alaska, Alaska Pacific University, M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and 24 other supporters. The right thing to do is offer it to the healthcare community for free. Donations to the S.E.E.K. organization to support the effort to distribute the program across the nation are gratefully accepted. The S.E.E.K. donation page will be available soon.
Dr. Garcia is available to consult via video conferencing and suggests that larger organizations that require formal class sessions may wish to contact him through the website to discuss and arrange support sessions or work with a local Deaf educator, ASL interpreter, or ASL educator to enhance the on-line program and learning process.
Many people have asked about certification after completing the Medi-Sign Course. An American Sign Language (ASL) certification process would need an evaluation component. We are not set up to evaluate a learner’s competency in ASL.
Completing the Medi-Sign course is a good introduction into the ASL language. It is not meant to provide learners with Interpreter quality skills. A person would need to enroll in and complete an accredited interpreter program to gain interpreter quality skills and possess a certificate. Medi-Sign will offer a good foundation for learning ASL and simultaneously offer the type of dialogue used in medical settings. Learners should engage the Deaf Community along with learning ASL to gain competency in the language through communication with natural language users.
Although Medi-Sign contains the language and instruction to learn basic American Sign Language (ASL) and communicate in many medical situations, the skills needed for interpreter certification exceed what can be expected from Medi-Sign. Medical interpreting, like Legal interpreting, requires a special skill level that requires focused study, experience, and technique. Many people have asked about certification after completing the Medi-Sign Course. An ASL certification process would need an evaluation component. We are not set up to evaluate a learner’s competency in ASL. Completing the Medi-Sign course is a good introduction into the ASL language. It is not meant to provide learners with Interpreter quality skills. A person would need to enroll in and complete an accredited interpreter program to gain interpreter quality skills and possess a certificate. Medi-Sign will offer a good foundation for learning ASL and simultaneously offer the type of dialogue used in medical settings. Learners should engage the Deaf Community along with learning ASL to gain competency in the language through communication with natural language users.