The guide is designed for physicians and other medical practitioners who need to work with medical interpreters to improve communication with patients. Special attention is given to the Australian context. An introductory section discusses the need for medical interpreters and explains the guide's organization. Subsequent sections address these issues: finding the appropriate medical interpreter and creating conditions for effective interpreting; briefing the interpreter; handling greetings and introductions in the interpreting situation; explaining contracts and related ethical issues; addressing the patient (maintaining eye contact, speaking directly, using pronouns appropriately, taking roles, using names); taking turns at talking; taking the medical history; summing up the physician's diagnosis; and debriefing the interpreter concerning the patient's sociocultural/religious background, attitude, and language use. Appended materials include Australian criteria for certification of interpreters, notes on the English pronoun system, and a briefing checklist. (Contains 22 references.) (MSE)