About

I’m Lizbeth Mendoza, MD, CMI–Spanish—a bilingual and bicultural native Spanish speaker, physician surgeon trained in Mexico, Certified Medical Interpreter, healthcare educator, and intercultural mediator. My professional background includes specialized training in clinical pharmacology and problem-based learning in health professions education, as well as a recently earned specialty in Organizational Wellness and Health Management.

For more than 25 years, my work has centered on healthcare, education, and communication across languages and cultures. I help interpreters and healthcare organizations bridge linguistic, cultural, and health-literacy gaps so that patients can receive information that is clear, compassionate, accurate, and meaningful. Patient safety and equitable communication remain at the heart of everything I do.

My professional journey began as a bilingual medical student, where I developed a strong foundation in medical terminology, clinical processes, and patient care. After graduation, I collaborated with Mexico’s first online continuing medical education platform, translating international medical news and remaining closely connected to emerging developments in healthcare.

Later, while practicing medicine in multicultural and multilingual communities in Mexico, I saw firsthand how language, culture, trust, and understanding can influence a patient’s experience and health outcomes. Those encounters shaped my conviction that effective healthcare communication requires more than translating words—it requires accuracy, cultural humility, empathy, and attention to context.

After becoming a Certified Medical Interpreter in the United States in 2014, I provided confidential interpretation across hospital and community health settings. My experience has included surgical and medical procedures, informed-consent discussions, treatment planning, medication education, follow-up care, and discharge instructions. Throughout this work, I have remained committed to patient confidentiality, professional ethics, and the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Healthcare.

My experience later expanded into public health and cultural brokering. During the COVID-19 emergency response, I helped connect Spanish-speaking communities with public-health teams, supported understanding of preventive measures and vaccine safety, promoted mental-health awareness, and helped community members access essential local and national resources.

Today, I continue practicing as a Senior Medical Interpreter PRN within a nonprofit pediatric healthcare network while pursuing a Master’s in Healthcare Organizations Management. My graduate studies are strengthening my ability to support leadership, regulatory compliance, organizational wellness, and high-quality, patient-centered care.

Education and professional development are also central to my work. I have designed and delivered training on topics including pharmacotherapy, interpreter self-care, cultural communication, and professional practice. My essay on the importance of continuing education in advancing the interpreting profession received first place in an International Medical Interpreters Association contest and contributed to my involvement in professional leadership. I have served on the IMIA Education Committee, the Medical Interpreter Education Committee, and as vice-chair of the IMIA Colorado Chapter.

Through BVCMI, I offer medical interpreter education, individualized coaching, continuing education, certification preparation, customized staff training, and consulting services for organizations seeking to strengthen language access and culturally responsive healthcare communication.

I welcome the opportunity to learn about your goals and explore how my experience can support you or your organization. Together, we can advance safer, more compassionate, and more equitable communication in healthcare.