Interview with… Ekaterina Chashnikova, founder of mymedpharm.info, a resouce hub for medical writers and translators.

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Q: Hi Ekaterina! Thanks a lot for your time. Could you briefly introduce yourself? 😊

A: Hello Anne! Thank you for inviting me for the interview. I am a medical translator and writer with a pharmaceutical background. Over the years, I’ve started a blog, spoken at translation conferences in different countries, and delivered webinars and courses for medical translators.

How did your background as a pharmacist influence your transition into medical translation and content creation?

I love telling this story. It was the end of my fourth year at the pharmaceutical faculty. One day, I noticed a note on a board in a hall saying that someone was looking for people to translate medical texts. I had a pretty high level of English thanks to additional classes in high school, and I have just revived this knowledge by taking the FCE exam. So I decided to give it a try, although the translation agency was just two people working out of their flat and paying freelancers with cash (more than I was earning part-time in a pharmacy, though). During the very first day of struggling over a publication with clinical study results, I felt a deep satisfaction that I’d never experienced during work before. So, it was a no-brainer to go into medical translation. Content creation grew out of it organically over time.

How has the field of medical translation evolved since you began your career?

Although I started when Trados was widely available, the field has become highly technological over the years. With localization processes shifting to multilingual content creation, I feel that many translators will have to diversify or reposition themselves to their clients. I will touch on this topic during my talk at the upcoming MedTranslate conference.

And the field of medical writing?

I’ve been in medical writing for 3 years, so I cannot tell much. AI’s introduction initially sparked panic, but I’ve been impressed by how quickly writers and companies have adapted, integrating these new technologies strategically and creatively into their workflows.

What is mymedpharm.info?

This website is a hub of credible resources for medical writers and translators. It’s more than just a resource collection—it’s a dynamic platform where professionals can submit trusted resources to the catalog. Descriptions of the resources include tips and insights that are valuable specifically for translators and writers, not for practicing physicians or patients, for example.

What inspired you to create mymedpharm.info as a collaborative platform rather than just a personal resource collection?

I noticed that readers of my blog enjoyed collections of credible resources and had a vision of creating a comprehensive knowledge hub. Also, no single person could compile resources across all languages and medical specialties. I’d love this website to become a go-to place for medical translators around the world. We keep talking and hearing about the high price of errors in medical translation, and we deserve a specialized platform to help us mitigate those risks.

How do you verify the credibility and accuracy of resources before adding them to mymedpharm.info?

All resources should match the credibility criteria that are outlined in the guide on the website. The contributors must provide their full name and include a link to their professional website or social media, because transparency increases responsibility. Also, I have access to an extensive network of professional translators and writers to consult if I have any doubts about a resource in a language I do not know well.
As for the resources I add myself, I usually come across them during work, find them helpful, and share together with some tips specifically for translators and writers.

What are your future plans for expanding mymedpharm.info?

My strategic roadmap includes adding more languages to the interface (but not with raw MT) and building a dedicated team to scale the project’s impact. I also plan to develop custom informational materials tailored for medical translators.

What strategies do you recommend for medical translators to stay current with terminology in some rapidly evolving medical fields?

With all the online resources available, I recommend a multi-faceted approach: listen to specialized medical podcasts, attend webinars from regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders, subscribe to targeted medical news feeds, and participate in professional networks. Additionally, follow key opinion leaders in specific medical domains on professional platforms like LinkedIn. (You can find new clients along the way if you engage in conversations.)

What role do you see AI and machine translation playing in the future of medical translation, and how should professionals adapt?

To me, the only way forward is to treat AI as an assistant, not a replacement. View these technologies as opportunities to expand translation capabilities, cover more complex use cases, and ultimately satisfy more diverse client needs.

How do you approach the balance between technical accuracy and readability when creating medical content?

It’s relatively simple. Technical accuracy means describing the processes correctly and using the correct terms. And readability means choosing specific grammar structures, shorter sentences, shorter paragraphs, and so on. If you keep both aspects in mind, the balance will come naturally. If you associate technical accuracy with cliches, long sentences, and complicated language, you will never reach readability.

What advice would you give to pharmacists or healthcare professionals interested in exploring medical translation as a career path?

Your professional background is an extraordinary asset, but strong writing skills in your target language are essential. Focus on developing linguistic precision, understand translation technologies, and be prepared to learn and adapt continuously.

And what advice would you give to medical translators who want to expand their skills into medical writing and content creation?

Recognize that you’re already halfway there. The transition is more about refining your existing skills than starting from scratch. Address those skill gaps through targeted learning and consider getting a mentor, applying for an internship, or doing volunteer work to gain initial experience and build a portfolio. I will share more practical tips during my workshop in October.

What feedback from your training sessions has most influenced how you develop educational resources?

Participant feedback has been transformative. I’ve learned to minimize pauses, create more concise content, and maintain high engagement. The most valuable insight came from participants who appreciated my teaching style—they boosted my confidence and inspired me to develop my educational expertise further.

What future developments do you envision for your training platforms and community resources?

My ultimate vision is to create the definitive resource hub for medical translators and writers. I would love to see a community around mymedpharm.info one day. The goal is to develop a comprehensive ecosystem that supports professional growth, knowledge sharing, and community building in the medical communication field.

Thank you very much for your time, Ekaterina!

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Visit my mymedpharm.info – click here

Ekaterina is a speaker at our upcoming MedTranslate 2025 international conference for medical translators! Visit the conference website: medtransconf.com

About MedTranslate international medical translation conference: MedTranslate 2025 announcement