08/27/2026
After coming to Lancaster from Nepal, former microbiology teacher Rajan Malla Thakuri secured a position as medical technologist in the Lab Blood Bank at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital in 2018. Several years later, Rajan turned his passion for language into an additional way to serve patients and families in our community.
As a certified Nepali interpreter through our Linguistic Employee Advancement Program (LEAP), Rajan provides interpretation support during emergency situations, participates in role-playing exercises, and assists with written and oral evaluations for new Nepali interpreters.
LEAP trains bilingual employees to become skilled medical interpreters. To graduate from the program, participants must attend 45-plus hours of training and pass an oral and written exam based on the national certification process.
“I have always loved languages and enjoy helping people communicate across language barriers,” Rajan said. “There is a common misconception that anyone who speaks two languages can serve as an interpreter. While family members often want to help by interpreting for their loved ones, their intentions can sometimes unintentionally lead to information being omitted, added, or misunderstood. I have seen firsthand how these communication gaps can affect a patient's understanding of their diagnosis, treatment options, and ability to make informed decisions. Seeing this motivated me to pursue professional interpreter training through LEAP.”
Rajan credits the excellent training he received through LEAP for helping him achieve additional certifications that allow him to serve as an interpreter for other organizations in our community.
“We’re so grateful for LEAP interpreters like Rajan, who pursue rigorous training to help assure safe, competent and cost-free language interpretation services are available to our patients and their family members,” said Evelin LaPaz, manager of Language Services.
