English for Doctors and The Medical Profession

Medical English: Sample Training Programme for Placement Doctors

An initial placement test in General and Medical English, devised by ELTI, must be completed. This will include 20 multiple choice grammatical questions, 10 medical questions which will require paragraph answers, 11 listening comprehensive questions based on a clinical interview. This will be supplemented by an oral interview with our Medical Director, Dr David Nagle and our Director of studies, Ms Carol Wilcox.

Course duration: 3 weeks, 35 hours per week at upper intermediate level and 1 week at advanced level.

Group Size: 8 participants maximum

Programme: Intensive Immersion in General & Medical English with particular reference to practising in Ireland. Entry Profile Language Level: Upper intermediate / advanced.

Testing Criteria: Oxford placement test, our own medical English test, interview by a language expert and a medical expert.

Accommodation for Participants: Host family accommodation is preferable to maximise interaction with Irish speakers of English, to facilitate social integration and, as on all immersion programmes, to have the opportunity to speak and listen to English as much as possible in a realistic environment outside of formal training time. Exit Test with a certificate and a personal report by the course co-ordinator.



Curriculum Framework

(1) Grammar with particular reference to correct tense usage. For example, in history taking, a mastery of the present perfect and present perfect progressive versus the past simple would be very important (when did … how long have you had ... how long have you been feeling… ). In the same context, command of the adverbs of frequency would be essential in eliciting accurate histories (how often, seldom, rarely, once a week, twice etc). Correct usage of the modals (must, should, might etc), the conditionals, the subjunctive (you had better, it’s time you did etc.), the imperative, the present simple and progressive and the 3 futures is vital for accurate and safe communication with patients for history taking, diagnosis and prescribing.

(2) History taking. During the first days, a CLL model will be used.for roleplaying of history taking. Participants would ask and answer questions in their own imperfect English, each phrase would be corrected where necessary by the trainer and recorded. At the end of the session, we would have 3 recorded histories which would then be analysed with the Medical Director, David Nagle. Different cultural styles would be discussed and evaluated within an Irish context and a model most suitable to the Irish patient would be devised. We would also elicit the type of descriptive language used by presenting patients in different countries to be contrasted with the Irish model. From day 5, we would bring in real patients or actors. We would continue the CLL model as the trainer would quietly correct /perfect the participants’ English. Again our Doctor would observe and evaluate.

(3) Tone & Register. It is absolutely essential that foreign doctors be aware of the importance of tone and register. All too often, our foreign clients are incorrectly perceived as being too formal, condescending, impatient, superior, abrasive. A series of listening exercises to determine and recognise different tones, formal versus informal register etc. would be completed each day. Participants would then be recorded using different tones, styles etc.

(4) Functional English Modules. As part of their function, the foreign Doctors will need to use the language of suggestions, conferring, appraisal, meetings, negotiating, explaining behaviour, making excuses, asking for advice etc.

(5) Irish Culture Model. Vocabulary expansion and an understanding of Irish culture.

(6) Irishisms. Certain turns of phrase, expressions, vocabulary, exotic tense usage are commonly used but are uniquely Irish. These would never have been part of an English curriculum and not being aware of them could interfere with communication.

(7) Note-taking for Charts. This module will be delivered by Doctor Nagle to include precise medical terminology, acronyms, abbreviations, symbols. Sample charts would be examined. Participants would make and take notes.

(8) Therapeutics. Each day a text of prescribing information will be read for vocabulary expansion, pronunciation, therapeutic information etc.

(9) Medical Videos. Towards the end of the training day, the participants will watch selected excerpts. The Doctor / trainer will have prepared sheets with listening comprehension questions. These videos could also be used for training in note taking, reports etc. These provide very specific medical language in a clinical setting.

(10) Social English. At the start of the day and during lunch and coffee breaks, social English will be practised in realistic contexts.

Evaluation: There will be a weekly evaluation directly based on course content.