ENGLISH FOR MEDICAL DOCTORS

(by Dr Intakhab Alam Khan)

The English for Medical doctors (EMD) will typically develop language PROFICIENCY in the
following areas/skills of target language:

Communicating effectively with patients

Communicating effectively with professional colleagues

Discussing treatments, presenting opinions and assessments

Learning how to fit into a professional team at the job places

Making medical applications during the course

Taking and understanding a patient history, asking about symptoms, recording

information, communicating information accurately

Examining a patient, rephrasing, explaining, prompting

Investigations

Interpreting, explaining and discussing a diagnosis

Understanding medical diagrams and documents

Using general medical reference books and a pharmacology reference

Examining case histories

Studying the language as it relates to medical treatment; i.e. for physiotherapy, surgical
treatment, giving and understanding instructions

Considering language functions appropriate to certain medical scenarios

Learning common medical abbreviations

Using a medical dictionary (manual and online)

Integrating technology for learning

Contents ( examples of some modules)

Unit-1: Internal Medicine
1.1 Past Medical History
1.2 Family History
1.3 Social History
1.4 Present Complaints
1.5 Pain and types
1.6 Headaches
1.7 Vertigo
1.8 Body Temperature and Sweat
1.9 Nausea and Vomiting
1.10 Dyspnoea
1.11 Cough
1.12 Heart Symptoms
1.13 Body weight and Diet
1.14 Bowel Movements
1.15 Blood
1.16. medical examination

Unit-2: Medical conditions

- Allergy

Anaphylaxis (Severe Allergic Reaction)

Chronic Rhinitis

Cold / Flu / Allergies

Food Allergy

Hives

Latex Allergy

Sinusitis
---------------

Arthritis

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Fibromyalgia

Gout

Lupus

Osteoarthritis

Psoriatic Arthritis

Reactive Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

..
Cholesterol

Fiber

Heart Attack

Stroke Prevention

..

Aches, Pain, Fever

Chronic Cough

Cold, Flu, Allergy: (OTC Remedies)

Common Cold

Encephalitis and Meningitis

Eustachian Tube Problems

Flu (Influenza)

Flu Vaccination

Immunizations

Pneumonia

Pneumonia Vaccination

SARS

Acupuncture

..

Acute and Chronic Pain

Cortisone Injection

Degenerative Disc

Low Back Pain

Bipolar Disorder

Depression

Dysthymia

Panic Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Stress

.
Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetic Home Care and Monitoring

Diabetes Insipidus

Diabetes Treatment

Insulin

Insulin Pump

.
Abdominal Pain

Appendicitis

Ulcerative Colitis

Constipation

Crohn's Disease

Diarrhea

Dyspepsia (Indigestion)

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Intestinal Gas

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis

Hyperthyroidism

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy

Synthroid (levothyroxine sodium)

Thyroid Cancer

Thyroid Nodules

--and many other conditions

Unit-3: Laboratory terms

- electrophysiological, immunochemical, microchemical, morphometric, paths, photometric,
psychodiagnostic, psychophysical, radiologic, retest, serological, spectrographic,

tachistoscopic, serum, clinician, analysis, bacteria, fungus , virus, normal, positive, negative,
sensitive, allergic, specimen, sample
Unit-4: Medical procedure
-wound management
-stitching
-healing procedures
-surgery
-excision and biopsy
-necrosis
-chemotherapy
-endoscopy
-angiography
Hypophysectomy
Craniectomy
Lobectomy
Nephrectomy
-many others
UNIT-5: MEDICATION
1 Prescription..................................................................
2 Therapeutic effects of drugs
3 Side effects of drugs...............................................
4 Administration of drugs.....................
5 monitoring and feedback

Example of lessons
PAST MEDICAL HISTORY
1 - This is a prereading activity to prepare you for the dialogue you will hear and read
next. Circle the questions according to whether you would hear/read them concerning a
patient's past medical history during the first visit to the hospital specialist or not.
a) Have you ever been in hospital?
b) Did you have any childhood diseases?
c) Do you ever see double?
d) Are your parents still alive?
e) Have you ever had an operation?
f) Are you currently taking any medicine?
g) Do you have any problems with your teeth?
h) What kind of treatment did you receive?
2- Read the questions below, then listen to both dialogues again and tick the correct answer.
-What does the patient tell the doctor about his childhood diseases?

A) He never had any of the childhood diseases the doctor listed.

B) He had rubella.
C) He had chickenpox and measles.
-Has the patient ever been in hospital?
A) Yes, once, when he had his tonsils out.
B) No, he has never had to stay in hospital.
C) Yes, once. He had his appendix removed.
-How old was he when he developed diabetes?
A) 40
B) 14
C) 44
Notes: words and sentence structures will be taught simultaneously.