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Medical English for beginner ESL students
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Medical English for beginner ESL students

3 min read

Medical English Courses for Beginner ESL Students: Do They Exist?

Do Medical English courses for beginner ESL students exist? Learn what beginner Medical English is, what students can learn, and how simple patient communication can be taught.

What exactly is a Medical English course?

Medical English is English used by doctors, nurses, and medical personnel in everyday communication. Most Medical English courses begin at an upper-intermediate level. This is mostly because it is extremely difficult to create a program in which Medical English would be used at a lower-intermediate or more basic level. For beginner English students, the goal is not to understand advanced medical textbooks, terminology, or complex grammatical structures. The goal is for beginner English students to learn Medical English in order to communicate with patients as quickly as possible in simple health-related situations.

This is possible.

What does Medical English consist of?

Medical English consists of medical terminology used between doctors, but also of everyday language used in communication with patients. It’s important to distinguish between phrases and vocabulary used during interactions with patients and those used between doctors or when charting.

What can beginner students learn?

Beginner students can start with simple and useful language, such as:

body parts

arm
stomach
head
eye

common symptoms

fever
cough
sore throat
weight loss

pain descriptions

stabbing pain
severe pain
constant pain
dull pain

doctor’s appointment phrases

You have an appointment at 10 a.m.
What’s your last name?
What brings you to the hospital today?

pharmacy expressions

Store the medication in the refrigerator.
Do you have a prescription?
Apply the drops three times a day.

emergency expressions

The patient is allergic to nuts.
Please stabilize the neck.
I can’t stop the bleeding.

For immigrants, travelers, caregivers, hospital cleaners, receptionists, nursing assistants, and parents, basic Medical English can be especially helpful.

What is the best way for beginners to learn Medical English?

The best way to teach beginner Medical English is through simple, practical exercises. Taking students step by step through a specially-tailored Medical English course will help them learn new phrases and vocabulary with ease, and role-play exercises will help them decide when each phrase is appropriate.

This can be achieved through exercises such as:

short dialogues
role plays
simple listening activities
real-life scenarios

Challenges of teaching Medical English to beginners

Of course, teaching Medical English to beginners also comes with its challenges. The main problem is making sure the level is always adjusted to the student. This means eliminating difficult grammatical constructions or level-inappropriate vocabulary.

Beginner programs should use multiple visual prompts (pictures) and repeatedly practice common situations. They should provide the learner with ready-made phrases to use when interacting with patients so that medical professionals can focus on the patient and not the language.

Medical English for beginner-level English students is definitely possible. It should not start with difficult medical terminology. Instead, it should focus on simple, useful, real-life communication, and that’s exactly what the ELLA Medical English course has managed to achieve on lower-intermediate and beginner levels.

The ELLA Medical English program starts at the beginner A2 level. ELLA teaches the most useful vocabulary and phrases, which allow learners to quickly start using the language in everyday situations. These basics form the foundation for learning more advanced medical expressions at higher levels. Lessons are short and thematic, and can be completed in one sitting. This makes the program an ideal solution for busy professionals.

ELLA’s Medical English course is an ideal tool for beginners who want to learn English.

Your online Medical English course on the ELLA elearning platform.

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