Springing into Action 🌸

A warm welcome to those joining us here for the first time and a big thank-you to those returning for a fresh dose of tips, news, and inspiration — we promise, there’s never a dull moment here. If you’ve missed our last email, you can now access all past issues in our archive. With spring in full swing, let’s dive into the blossoming bouquet of updates.

What we’ve been up to:

Learning about the latest medtech trends
Getting a backstage pass to EU institutions
Breaking the Internet
Saying ‘no’ to more emails

Just a gentle reminder: you’re receiving this email because you’ve registered to work with us or signed up through our website. If you don’t enjoy it, please feel free to bid adieu at the bottom — we won’t be notified, and it won’t affect your work opportunities with us.

🩻 We’re hanging out with the medtech folk

Medical device translation stands as one of our core areas of expertise. Amidst the dynamic landscape of the medtech industry, we get immense satisfaction from engaging with innovators, staying abreast of the latest trends, and testing new products. Our recent participation in the Medical Technology UK event (pictured left) served to underscore the pivotal role of AI and cybersecurity in shaping the future of medtech. With medical devices using increasingly sophisticated technology and regulatory standards becoming more stringent, our clients’ needs are also growing more complex. From the ability to handle much more technical content to having the knowledge to advise clients on regulatory compliance, are we ready for these new challenges?

We view this as an opportunity to use our expertise to add value to our translation projects. In the era of AI, churning out en masse translations of passable quality is no longer a viable strategy. This shift is best exemplified by our two new clients who have switched from a large LSP to us for that extra value.

🇪🇺 We’re walking the corridors of power at EU institutions

EDQM Standard Terms are the bread and butter of every pharmaceutical translator working with EU regulatory texts, so it felt particularly special to witness the inner workings of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare (EDQM) firsthand. In March, our intern, Ewelina, went to Strasbourg to attend a translation event at the EDQM and also seized the opportunity to take a peek behind the curtain at the European Parliament. This study trip was organised by the amazing ITI Medical and Pharmaceutical Network. If you aren’t already a member, I highly recommend joining. With the annual fee of just £15, it’s truly the best investment you can make for your professional career.

The feedback shared by Ewelina brought up very fond memories of my time as a trainee translator at the European Parliament exactly a decade ago. If you’re looking for a new challenge or simply fancy a change of scenery, why not apply for a paid traineeship with an EU institution:

European Medicines Agency Traineeship Programme
Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union
European Commissions’ Directorate-General for Translation (registration for the current round has just closed)
European Parliament (new offers to be released in May)

For other EU traineeship opportunities, please see here.

📈 We’re hitting new heights on Google

Life science translation is a complex area, and to support our clients with their decision-making process, we regularly share our expertise on our blog. To make our articles more discoverable, we’ve implemented some clever SEO tactics. Last month marked a special milestone as one of our medtech articles overtook the official EU website on Google. To find out how we’ve catapulted our articles to the top of Google (and so can you), read our case study. Later this month, we’ll be at the world’s largest search conference, so please make sure to check back in May for more tips and advice.

📨 We’re creating a world without email

On a busy day, an average translator may receive as many as 50 work-related emails. Emails can be a real productivity drain, overwhelming us with constant interruptions and unnecessary pressure. By being more mindful about how we handle our messages, we can reduce their amount and reclaim our attention. Avoiding email ping-pong and creating uninterrupted blocks of time for deep, meaningful work are just some of the techniques advocated by Cal Newport in his New York Times bestseller A World Without Email. In the hyperconnected world of today, we use these recommendations to give our translators the much-needed mental space to focus on translation work. Hurrah for slow productivity!

🎯Mastermind Pro Tip

This is the part of the email where we want to give you a bit extra.

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A heartfelt thank-you to those who emailed me after our last newsletter. It’s been wonderful to get to know so many of you. We hope you found this email equally useful. Please feel free to write back and let us know what you’ve been up to. See you next month!

Best wishes,

Kasia

Katarzyna E Slobodzian-Taylor
Director

Mastermind Translations Ltd is a limited company registered in England and Wales no. 09750111. Registered office: Office 118, 20 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham
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