Translating medical documents with accuracy requires a native level of proficiency in the distinctive languages, as well as analytical capabilities, and an expansive cultural knowledge of the source and target languages. A medical translator must have a formal education in the chosen languages (ideally having received instruction in both translation theory and practice), be an expert in the medical lexicon, understand completely the source text, write correctly and accurately, and be able to make use of highly specialized medical dictionaries. Professional medical translators need also to be qualified to conduct terminology research to validate equivalents in the target language, particularly to understand a term within the context, or when translating into a language with particular regional variations.

The quality of a source document greatly affect that of the final translation. If there are confusing or poorly written passages, it is thus up to the abilities of the translator to seek clarification, lest the final translation be equally confusing.