Customer Reviews

Delmar's English and Spanish Pocket Dictionary for Health Professionals

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This volume is more than a dictionary with its visual diagrams. Small enough to carry around, complete enough to do the job.

this is a pretty solid dictionary... i use this as my primary reference as a medical interpreter and translator. it's small enough to carry around in a satchel, but not really a pocket reference... for its size, it lists a number of terms that i did not find in colleagues' dictionaries.
the slang listings are extensive, although not practically useful. most patients are familiar with both slang and some formal description of medical terminology, and so i think that the space they used up here with slang could have been better spent. overall, however, this is a wonderful and accessible volume for health professionals.

I work as a medical interpreter and use this as my main reference tool. I particularly love the anatomical diagrams, and that the dictionary gives regional usage of words. One very serious problem though - when there is more than one option for a translation, the choices are listed in alphabetical order with no consideration for which choice is the most frequently used. So, I might have to try out a number of words before I hit on the one that the patient understands (I'm also studying for a certification exam and have no way of knowing which of several choices is likely to be on the test). It's common practice in dictionaries to list the most commonly used choice first - this would have been much more helpful. I'm currently shopping for another dictionary that doesn't have this problem.

The first half of this book is in English, translated to Spanish, under the Alphabet headings. Very good, very concise. The next section is again in English, with medical terminology and the spanish counterpart, diagrams of body systems with Eng-Span conversions, and skeleton. Second half of book is the same as first, only, its Spanish to English. Very helpful book. Good start for someone like me who is just learning the Spanish language.

Spanish is my first language. I took classes in medical terminology in Spanish, however, there are times when I just forget a certain word and I resort to this book for help.
This book has helped me translate many teaching materials we use and give to patients in the hospital. I have used this book for many years and will continue to use it.
Highly recomend it.

I used this book while doing a medical mission in Peru. It was very handy and easy to use. Of course it did not have every word I needed but was more than adequate. The PA in Peru liked it so much that I left it with her.

I bought this dictionary to accompany me on a medical elective to colombia. I already spoke spanish reasonably fluently and wanted something to carry arround the wards with me.
The book has a lot to offer but it compromises professional language for lay language and many words useful for case explanation between doctors/students aren't available. For instance "32 y old man that presents with hemianopia and loss of proprioception"(a contrived sentence)" or "she has bi-basal crackles and a displaced apex beat.
Present, proprioception, hemianopia aren't to be found. Nor are "apex beat" or "crackles". Similarly absent are "clubbing" "crepitations", "pulsatile", "cappillary return", "orthopnaea", "neck stiffness", "photophobia" etc etc.
Thus many useful words for examination and history were absent, which didn't help me amongst staff.
There are however about 170 words for marijuana, from basically every latin community in the world. Thus possible expressions you may use to talk to the other doctors about for a laugh over coffee are plentiful!
Many of the various "regionalisms" are solely Mexican or Puerto Rican
It did have plenty of non-medical words though which helped from time to time as a general conversation aid.
All in all it was a bit of a let down and not worth the price.
The diagrams are helpful though also as is the anatomy list.

If you're a doctor or a student I'd try something else.

Se la recomiendo a todos los hispanos que necesiten ayuda para empezar en el mundo de la salud