Hello,
I am a director of studies at a school in Spain that is STILL ooking into providing English classes at a nearby pharmacy college, and now ALSO a local dentist college and medical school.
We are trying to find textbooks or other materials that deal with English in the dentistry profession and English for doctors in general (terminology, reading and listening texts, such as professionl articles and conference lectures) and in the workplace (situational, functional language).
We have some things on medical English but nothing as yet dealing with the various professions. If you can help me out I'd appreciate it. Do you know of books (ISBNs, please) or websites or publishers?
Thanks.
Medical ESP - Denists, Doctors
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
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Wayne Hall
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2003 4:40 am
I work in Daegu, South Korea, and many of our students are nurses and staff at two local university hospitals. I would like to set up a Medical English study group for medical professionals who are interested in working in the United States, and would also be interested in any suggestions for textbooks or lesson ideas.
English for Nurses, Doctors, etc.
Hello from Canada:As some of you will know, I write my own workbooks on the subject of career-specific English for Nurses and Medical Personnel. These are now being used in approx. 14 countries worldwide ! Please visit my website at www.nursingesl.com and click on Products to read about the books. You might also find the Message Board interesting re: feedback. Finally, try my other site at www.e4on.ca, the on-line course for English for Nurses and Medical Personnel.
... hoping all of this will help .....
Medical Resources on the Internet
What I would do, if I were in this situation, would be to search for articles from professional journals on the Internet using one of the basic Internet search engines such as Google.
Start with vocabulary. There are plenty of sites you can find that have free information including diagrams of the human body designed to assist in memorizing medical terminology. Then find articles from orthopedics, hand surgery, general medicine, gerentology, pediatrics, cardiac medicine, general dentistry, orthodontics, gum disease and etc., that include this vocabury but also provide the necessary depth of background that doctors and dentists need.
As you are at a College, the school probably has on-line access to journals that you can download articles from for free. An American English professional journal in the medical sciences is The New England Journal of Medicine, one in British English is Lancet. General ones from both countries with plenty of general articles from the world of medicine are Science, and Nature. These will also have articles that use and improve vocabulary and speaking skills while potentially interesting both professions, such as dentition or arthritis in early humans. You can find professional journal articles in all of your professions with internet searches and use these for the vocabulary and building dialogues.
Another good resource on the Internet is The MIT Open Course Ware site. This has classes which can provide you with materials. For example, there is a medical anthropology course with lecture notes on "The Institution of Medicine" which would be an excellent resource for discussion material. Probably their Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Biology and Health Sciences and Technology departments have materials you can use. The material is free, although it requires proper attribution. The material will be lower level than the professional journals. Much of the material is translated into Spanish and Portuguese, which would be useful for lower level students. I would find lecture notes and links at MIT, then use these as introductions, and for biosis or other professional journal searches for papers that use the same vocabulary.
Let me know if this helps. I have tutored a few doctors and nurses in ESL, but would love to get back into it some time.
Start with vocabulary. There are plenty of sites you can find that have free information including diagrams of the human body designed to assist in memorizing medical terminology. Then find articles from orthopedics, hand surgery, general medicine, gerentology, pediatrics, cardiac medicine, general dentistry, orthodontics, gum disease and etc., that include this vocabury but also provide the necessary depth of background that doctors and dentists need.
As you are at a College, the school probably has on-line access to journals that you can download articles from for free. An American English professional journal in the medical sciences is The New England Journal of Medicine, one in British English is Lancet. General ones from both countries with plenty of general articles from the world of medicine are Science, and Nature. These will also have articles that use and improve vocabulary and speaking skills while potentially interesting both professions, such as dentition or arthritis in early humans. You can find professional journal articles in all of your professions with internet searches and use these for the vocabulary and building dialogues.
Another good resource on the Internet is The MIT Open Course Ware site. This has classes which can provide you with materials. For example, there is a medical anthropology course with lecture notes on "The Institution of Medicine" which would be an excellent resource for discussion material. Probably their Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Biology and Health Sciences and Technology departments have materials you can use. The material is free, although it requires proper attribution. The material will be lower level than the professional journals. Much of the material is translated into Spanish and Portuguese, which would be useful for lower level students. I would find lecture notes and links at MIT, then use these as introductions, and for biosis or other professional journal searches for papers that use the same vocabulary.
Let me know if this helps. I have tutored a few doctors and nurses in ESL, but would love to get back into it some time.
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Andrew Patterson
- Posts: 922
- Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2004 7:59 pm
- Location: Poland
- Contact:
I am also possibly going to do a course in English for dentistry, at least we've had some enquiries.
I work in Poland and am currently teaching a course in English for nurses. Most should be going to Ireland when they've finished.
As you probably know, Poland has just entered the EU, a lot of people here would like to work in Britain or Ireland. The problem is of course that technical English may vary from place to place and whole jobs may be different. For instance in some countries midwives are classed as nurses, in others, they are not. I need material as specific as possible for Britain and Ireland.
I would be much obliged if anyone could tell me about textbooks, websites, etc dealing with English for nurses or dentists including ISBN nubers if possible. Thanks a lot.
If this is any help to anyone. This site:
http://www.englishmed.com/
is quite good for nurses, but the English is at quite a high level, and it's still a beta version.
I work in Poland and am currently teaching a course in English for nurses. Most should be going to Ireland when they've finished.
As you probably know, Poland has just entered the EU, a lot of people here would like to work in Britain or Ireland. The problem is of course that technical English may vary from place to place and whole jobs may be different. For instance in some countries midwives are classed as nurses, in others, they are not. I need material as specific as possible for Britain and Ireland.
I would be much obliged if anyone could tell me about textbooks, websites, etc dealing with English for nurses or dentists including ISBN nubers if possible. Thanks a lot.
If this is any help to anyone. This site:
http://www.englishmed.com/
is quite good for nurses, but the English is at quite a high level, and it's still a beta version.
International Symposium on English for Medical Purposes
I am pleased to announce that I will be a keynote speaker at the 2004 International Symposium on English for Medical Purposes in Xi'an, China, October 16-19th, 2004. I will be speaking on 'Changing the Paradigm for English Language Teaching' at the plenary session, Oct. 17th. Please join us there. The symposium has many, many exciting speakers. It is being hosted by Xi'an Jiaotong University . The website is http://www.sinoemp.xjtu.edu.cn
Hi all
I am a medical professional myself - a radiographer - and interested in teaching English to Health Professionals once I get my CELTA ( planned for next year). I currently teach English to elderly Chinese ladies here in New Zealand, on a voluntary basis for a couple of hours a week. I'd be interested to hear how non-medical professionals deliver such courses - especially when dealing with the cultural issues which are so important in health care.
I'd also be interested in opinions on the likelihood of employment for a "mature" (55-ish!) teacher in this field, once I have the CELTA. I'm ready to leave the stress and strains of hospital work for something different; I have a UK passport and extensive expererience in hospitals in Europe, the Middle East, here in New Zealand and of course in the UK. My qualification is not a BA, though - however, it is considered degree-equivalent as radiography is now a degree subject - BSc rather than BA, though.
I am a medical professional myself - a radiographer - and interested in teaching English to Health Professionals once I get my CELTA ( planned for next year). I currently teach English to elderly Chinese ladies here in New Zealand, on a voluntary basis for a couple of hours a week. I'd be interested to hear how non-medical professionals deliver such courses - especially when dealing with the cultural issues which are so important in health care.
I'd also be interested in opinions on the likelihood of employment for a "mature" (55-ish!) teacher in this field, once I have the CELTA. I'm ready to leave the stress and strains of hospital work for something different; I have a UK passport and extensive expererience in hospitals in Europe, the Middle East, here in New Zealand and of course in the UK. My qualification is not a BA, though - however, it is considered degree-equivalent as radiography is now a degree subject - BSc rather than BA, though.
Medical English teachers
Hi, Liz in New Zealand:
You pose a very interesting question about how non-health professionals attempt to teach English for doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. This is a provocative question, indeed. As you will see from reading these websites and meeting other ESL/EMP teachers, most are language instructors with absolutely NO background in health care. This leads me to wonder how they can teach career-specific language when they don't understand the career? What I have discovered in my travels and consultations abroad (for EMP and as a Nursing Instructor) is that these courses are based almost solely on learning medical terminology. My recent visit to China taught me that medical schools there are interested in teaching med. students to read and write in the language of medical abstracts so that they can be published. This has very little to do with critical thinking about assessment, diagnosis and the work we do let alone the ability to speak with colleagues on the job and with patients. As you and I both know, the formal language of medical journals IS NOT the way we speak at work or even during the presentation of an academic paper. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this and those of other readers.
Liz, I believe you are in a good position to teach English for Medical Purposes with a health care background and now an English language teaching certificate. For others, I would like to recommend finding a 'language buddy' who is a health professional of some sort from an English-speaking country for reference and consultation. This would really enrich the learning experience for all of our students, don't you think?
You pose a very interesting question about how non-health professionals attempt to teach English for doctors, nurses, and other health professionals. This is a provocative question, indeed. As you will see from reading these websites and meeting other ESL/EMP teachers, most are language instructors with absolutely NO background in health care. This leads me to wonder how they can teach career-specific language when they don't understand the career? What I have discovered in my travels and consultations abroad (for EMP and as a Nursing Instructor) is that these courses are based almost solely on learning medical terminology. My recent visit to China taught me that medical schools there are interested in teaching med. students to read and write in the language of medical abstracts so that they can be published. This has very little to do with critical thinking about assessment, diagnosis and the work we do let alone the ability to speak with colleagues on the job and with patients. As you and I both know, the formal language of medical journals IS NOT the way we speak at work or even during the presentation of an academic paper. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this and those of other readers.
Liz, I believe you are in a good position to teach English for Medical Purposes with a health care background and now an English language teaching certificate. For others, I would like to recommend finding a 'language buddy' who is a health professional of some sort from an English-speaking country for reference and consultation. This would really enrich the learning experience for all of our students, don't you think?
what sort of English?
I will never forget, many years ago when I was working in Austria, one of the doctors telling me that as a student, when he did an elective in the East End of London, a patient came into the consulting room and announced "Doctor, I've got a bun in the oven!" Aware that she had been waiting for some time, and being ever the polite and thoughtful gentleman, he suggested that she would have time to go home, take it out before it burnt and then come back, as the clinic would still be open and would not be as busy later ...
Fortunately he realised by her facial expression and body language that he had said the most stupid of things, and quickly retrieved the moment. We had many a laugh about it, but I think it was then that I first started to think about the vital importance of culturally-appropriate medical English for accurate and safe communication. Heiko's English was totally fluent and very correct, but he had great difficulties communicating with English patients and some difficulties with the staff. I learnt German in the hospital situation, and although my German is most certainly a grammatically imperfect and strongly accented Tyrolean version, I have many times in different places been called to translate for German-speaking patients when those who speak "better" ( but not medical!) German have failed in getting their point across.
It does worry me how persons without an appropriate background can teach this type of English, as it is so much more than "just" language. They are likely to have little knowledge about (and even less understanding of the importance of), for instance , the perceived status of different grades of nurses in different healthcare systems, the type of tasks which are or are not considered acceptable for a professional of a certain grade to delegate - and to whom - and the differing culture and expectations in different types of hospital, even those within the same area and healthcare system. I am sure that even the best-intentioned of "lay" teachers could not comprehend much of this. I have not even touched on ethics, informed consent and confidentiality in our healthcare systems, which the teacher would surely have to be aware of at the very least, if only to ensure that the students knew of the necessity of updating themselves on these issues.
However, if "English for Medical Publication" is what is wanted, as it appears you have found, then students may be very well served by teachers with a vague knowledge of science and an ability to impart the trick of impenetrable writing!
It's a bit worrying to say the least to think that these people could perhaps be accepted as having satisfactory English to practice professionally in an English-speaking country, on the basis of having successfully completed a Medical English course.
Again, I would be very interested to learn how non-medical background teachers do indeed teach these cultural/communication aspects, or if they concentrate chiefly on terminology and vocabulary. Of course not even the best of teachers with an extensive medical background could possibly teach anyone everything they need to know, but I do believe that a professional healthcare background in an English-speaking country would make a more effective and knowledgable teacher who would also be more likely to have the students' attention and respect. Do you know any doctors or nurses who would actually pay attention to a language teacher without a healthcare background who tried to teach them medical terminology for professional use? I don't! Perhaps the nature of the work of heathcare professionals also puts us into a bit of an "us and them" mindset, too.
One question I would put to lay teachers - if a member of your family were being nursed through a critical illness by an overseas-trained nurse, would you be totally happy with him or her having been taught Nursing English by an EFL teacher with no professional background in the healthcare system in which the nurse is working?
Fortunately he realised by her facial expression and body language that he had said the most stupid of things, and quickly retrieved the moment. We had many a laugh about it, but I think it was then that I first started to think about the vital importance of culturally-appropriate medical English for accurate and safe communication. Heiko's English was totally fluent and very correct, but he had great difficulties communicating with English patients and some difficulties with the staff. I learnt German in the hospital situation, and although my German is most certainly a grammatically imperfect and strongly accented Tyrolean version, I have many times in different places been called to translate for German-speaking patients when those who speak "better" ( but not medical!) German have failed in getting their point across.
It does worry me how persons without an appropriate background can teach this type of English, as it is so much more than "just" language. They are likely to have little knowledge about (and even less understanding of the importance of), for instance , the perceived status of different grades of nurses in different healthcare systems, the type of tasks which are or are not considered acceptable for a professional of a certain grade to delegate - and to whom - and the differing culture and expectations in different types of hospital, even those within the same area and healthcare system. I am sure that even the best-intentioned of "lay" teachers could not comprehend much of this. I have not even touched on ethics, informed consent and confidentiality in our healthcare systems, which the teacher would surely have to be aware of at the very least, if only to ensure that the students knew of the necessity of updating themselves on these issues.
However, if "English for Medical Publication" is what is wanted, as it appears you have found, then students may be very well served by teachers with a vague knowledge of science and an ability to impart the trick of impenetrable writing!
It's a bit worrying to say the least to think that these people could perhaps be accepted as having satisfactory English to practice professionally in an English-speaking country, on the basis of having successfully completed a Medical English course.
Again, I would be very interested to learn how non-medical background teachers do indeed teach these cultural/communication aspects, or if they concentrate chiefly on terminology and vocabulary. Of course not even the best of teachers with an extensive medical background could possibly teach anyone everything they need to know, but I do believe that a professional healthcare background in an English-speaking country would make a more effective and knowledgable teacher who would also be more likely to have the students' attention and respect. Do you know any doctors or nurses who would actually pay attention to a language teacher without a healthcare background who tried to teach them medical terminology for professional use? I don't! Perhaps the nature of the work of heathcare professionals also puts us into a bit of an "us and them" mindset, too.
One question I would put to lay teachers - if a member of your family were being nursed through a critical illness by an overseas-trained nurse, would you be totally happy with him or her having been taught Nursing English by an EFL teacher with no professional background in the healthcare system in which the nurse is working?
Medical ESP- Dentists, Doctors
Touche' , Liz! 
Teaching Doctors and Nurses Without Medical Background
First thing you should know is that I have never had to teach a doctor or nurse how to diagnose anything--they learn this in medical school. I am teaching only English. I actually tutor doctors who work in university settings, and I mostly tutor doctors for communicating with professional colleagues. What I am tutoring, then, is how to read professional journal abstract articles in English and relay the knowledge in communicating with students and other medical professionals. However, I have tutored doctors and nursing working in clinical settings. Gee, amazingly I know the difference between an RN and an LVN. I also have tutored doctors visiting in military clinics and know how the skills of an RN and a Corpsman mix or match, too. When I tutor medical professionals for clinical settings I tutor how to LISTEN to patients, not how to diagnose! I'm an ESP tutor, NOT a doctor/professor. It's interesting that you don't seem to know that difference. OR do you? How do I know what patients say to doctors without having gone to medical school? Well, I talk to the doctors, and I sit in when I can, and I am a patient at times, also. I am also NOT a lawyer! I never ever teach doctors or lawyers about the legal ramifications of patient confidentiality--I'm not qualified to do so AND I am NOT, in a legal setting, ALLOWED TO DO SO BY LAW! It's interesting that you're complaining about non-medical laymen teaching medical English, yet you're teaching the LAW, and you're not a lawyer!
I also know one of the most important things about tutoring that at least one of you mentioned: a tutor can't do everything and shouldn't even try. I tutor what I do, others tutor what they do. My background is quite sufficient for tutoring the medical English that I do tutor. I know the terminology, I know the professions, I know how they interact in a clinical setting and in a hospital setting. I know what a doctor is, and what a resident, a medical student, a fellow, a nurse practitioner, a physician's assistant, a radiographer, an ultrasound tech, a physical therapist, a Registered Nurse, a nurse's aid, a candy striper, a janitor, a receptionist, a scheduler and all sorts of other folks are. I know who interacts with whom. I know how patients have to interact with all of these folks and how nurses versus doctors have to interact.
Why not try to understand by asking instead of making assumptions that laymen are not qualified to teach doctors how to diagnose? After all, some laymen may surprise you by knowing that doctors learn this in medical school and in their residencies and in their practices, not from their ESL tutors.
I also know one of the most important things about tutoring that at least one of you mentioned: a tutor can't do everything and shouldn't even try. I tutor what I do, others tutor what they do. My background is quite sufficient for tutoring the medical English that I do tutor. I know the terminology, I know the professions, I know how they interact in a clinical setting and in a hospital setting. I know what a doctor is, and what a resident, a medical student, a fellow, a nurse practitioner, a physician's assistant, a radiographer, an ultrasound tech, a physical therapist, a Registered Nurse, a nurse's aid, a candy striper, a janitor, a receptionist, a scheduler and all sorts of other folks are. I know who interacts with whom. I know how patients have to interact with all of these folks and how nurses versus doctors have to interact.
Why not try to understand by asking instead of making assumptions that laymen are not qualified to teach doctors how to diagnose? After all, some laymen may surprise you by knowing that doctors learn this in medical school and in their residencies and in their practices, not from their ESL tutors.
Medical English teachers
Hi, Kate:
Thank-you for your response to my letter. Personally, I never said that English teachers cannot teach medical English. My thesis is that they need extra knowledge and preparation in order to do so effectively. EMP is English for Specific Purposes but many ESL teachers do not appreciate this, in my experience. I do not doubt that you have done your prep work from your letter. It is not true of every EMP teacher out there. That's were my idea of finding an English-speaking buddy in the health care profession would really help. Some of the Japanese universities are doing this already. They have wonderful EMP programs set up that are collaborative with the Medical Department. Courses are designed WITH the doctors who make the suggestions of what should be taught (ie: purely technical, academic medical English or career-specific medical English for working/liaising purposes.) Then, a doctor actually conducts a class once per week in English, allowing students opportunities to discuss and explore theory, concepts, issues, treatments, etc. in English with him/her. This is a fabulous idea. At one of the universities, the 'doctor's class' is hosted by a different specialist each time. What a rich learning environment.
The goal of an EMP class is undoubtedly to teach the language of health care. No arguments. I know it is not to diagnose. I did not suggest that. However, exploration of diagnoses and diagnostic criteria, diagnostic tests, etc. are germane to the lessons, don't you think?
Teaching medical terminology is only a basis for the design of any curriculum for medical English. Acquisitional learning is the key, I believe. This provides real value for the students and improves their motivation. Approaching EMP through the use of abstracts and journals is in my opinion, putting the cart before the horse. It lack practical usage and really doesn't help the students to interact with other health professionals. I am a health professional. I am a nursing instructor at the university level (I teach EMP as a private business) and I am well aware of how and what the nurses, doctors and the multidisciplinary team talk like and talk about.
Kate, have you ever considered trying to find your own EMP students e-mail buddies abroad? What about linking them to a medical or nursing school in an English-speaking country? I think this would be a wonderful learning opportunity to use the English you teach them.
And finally, about being a lawyer. All EMP must include an awareness of the legal ramifications of patient care, scope of practice and bio-ethics. Why? Because these are part of the profession and they differ around the world. I don't teach the law. I teach the legalities of the profession only during discussions that arise throughout the course. Every medical school and every nursing school teaches this. Your EMP students will know these things in their own country but can they compare and contrast? Well, I suppose this is only relevant if they intend to emigrate. It would most certainly be the teacher's responsibility to survey the students at the beginning of the course to identify their motives for taking one's EMP course. Then classes could include this. What do you think?
Thanks, Kate for your feedback and long note. That is a wonderful thing. I hope between you and I and Liz that more and more people will write in so we can all discover what each of us is doing and really open some incredible dialogues on this webpage!
Melodie in Canada
Thank-you for your response to my letter. Personally, I never said that English teachers cannot teach medical English. My thesis is that they need extra knowledge and preparation in order to do so effectively. EMP is English for Specific Purposes but many ESL teachers do not appreciate this, in my experience. I do not doubt that you have done your prep work from your letter. It is not true of every EMP teacher out there. That's were my idea of finding an English-speaking buddy in the health care profession would really help. Some of the Japanese universities are doing this already. They have wonderful EMP programs set up that are collaborative with the Medical Department. Courses are designed WITH the doctors who make the suggestions of what should be taught (ie: purely technical, academic medical English or career-specific medical English for working/liaising purposes.) Then, a doctor actually conducts a class once per week in English, allowing students opportunities to discuss and explore theory, concepts, issues, treatments, etc. in English with him/her. This is a fabulous idea. At one of the universities, the 'doctor's class' is hosted by a different specialist each time. What a rich learning environment.
The goal of an EMP class is undoubtedly to teach the language of health care. No arguments. I know it is not to diagnose. I did not suggest that. However, exploration of diagnoses and diagnostic criteria, diagnostic tests, etc. are germane to the lessons, don't you think?
Teaching medical terminology is only a basis for the design of any curriculum for medical English. Acquisitional learning is the key, I believe. This provides real value for the students and improves their motivation. Approaching EMP through the use of abstracts and journals is in my opinion, putting the cart before the horse. It lack practical usage and really doesn't help the students to interact with other health professionals. I am a health professional. I am a nursing instructor at the university level (I teach EMP as a private business) and I am well aware of how and what the nurses, doctors and the multidisciplinary team talk like and talk about.
Kate, have you ever considered trying to find your own EMP students e-mail buddies abroad? What about linking them to a medical or nursing school in an English-speaking country? I think this would be a wonderful learning opportunity to use the English you teach them.
And finally, about being a lawyer. All EMP must include an awareness of the legal ramifications of patient care, scope of practice and bio-ethics. Why? Because these are part of the profession and they differ around the world. I don't teach the law. I teach the legalities of the profession only during discussions that arise throughout the course. Every medical school and every nursing school teaches this. Your EMP students will know these things in their own country but can they compare and contrast? Well, I suppose this is only relevant if they intend to emigrate. It would most certainly be the teacher's responsibility to survey the students at the beginning of the course to identify their motives for taking one's EMP course. Then classes could include this. What do you think?
Thanks, Kate for your feedback and long note. That is a wonderful thing. I hope between you and I and Liz that more and more people will write in so we can all discover what each of us is doing and really open some incredible dialogues on this webpage!
Melodie in Canada
Medical English teachers
Kate, you are making far too many assumptions here. You assume that teaching about the language used informally in health systems for, say, diagnostic tests indicates that we are teaching fellow professionals how to diagnose. You assume that my statement about the necessity for making overseas health professionals aware of ethical and confidentiality issues means that we are teaching law.
I am a Superintendent Radiographer in a large teaching hospital and let me tell you, when I came to New Zealand from the UK I was VERY grateful to my deputy who made me aware of some vital cultural differences relating to the issue of confidentiality. Would you say, therefore, that she was tutoring me in law? I think not!
There are people out there teaching English for Nurses who have neither knowledge of , nor contact with, the health system for which they are supposedly teaching, and who are not native English speakers who might, presumably, have had some experience of that system at least as a patient.
Because of my known interest in the subject of English language teaching, I have been asked to assess applicants for nursing and other positions within the hospital whose professional qualifications are fine, but whose English competency did not seem to match up to what was claimed. In all cases I found that they had learnt EMP on courses held overseas which had no input from people with any practical experience in a similar health-care system to ours. I cannot believe that this is an effective or efficient way of teaching English for Medical, Nursing or other Healthcare purposes.
Medical terminology - which is what seems to be commonly taught by "lay" teachers - is absolutely unsuitable for use in a clinical setting, and while I am sure you are diligent in your teaching of both academic and clinical English, I can assure you that there are many teachers who have no idea that there is even a difference between the two.
I am a Superintendent Radiographer in a large teaching hospital and let me tell you, when I came to New Zealand from the UK I was VERY grateful to my deputy who made me aware of some vital cultural differences relating to the issue of confidentiality. Would you say, therefore, that she was tutoring me in law? I think not!
There are people out there teaching English for Nurses who have neither knowledge of , nor contact with, the health system for which they are supposedly teaching, and who are not native English speakers who might, presumably, have had some experience of that system at least as a patient.
Because of my known interest in the subject of English language teaching, I have been asked to assess applicants for nursing and other positions within the hospital whose professional qualifications are fine, but whose English competency did not seem to match up to what was claimed. In all cases I found that they had learnt EMP on courses held overseas which had no input from people with any practical experience in a similar health-care system to ours. I cannot believe that this is an effective or efficient way of teaching English for Medical, Nursing or other Healthcare purposes.
Medical terminology - which is what seems to be commonly taught by "lay" teachers - is absolutely unsuitable for use in a clinical setting, and while I am sure you are diligent in your teaching of both academic and clinical English, I can assure you that there are many teachers who have no idea that there is even a difference between the two.
I am not sure if this would help but one website might be able to help you..www.medicinenet.com. 
Hello All,
Canadian here, former physiotherapist, lover of education. I was off in another part of Dave's, asking the right questions in the wrong place. "Glenski", thanks again for showing me the way. I am very interested in the notion of teaching ESL but to a very specific and unique audience. The medical world is everywhere, and so is English. Most research ultimately wishes to find its way into English medical//health science journals, for better or worse.
I am stuggling myself with whether I should bother with a TEFL BEFORE I look at teaching abroad. While it would not doubt help, teaching English at this level would assume a certain command that may be at a higher level than TEFL. Now this is just a theory.
Any thoughts? And jobs?
Canadian here, former physiotherapist, lover of education. I was off in another part of Dave's, asking the right questions in the wrong place. "Glenski", thanks again for showing me the way. I am very interested in the notion of teaching ESL but to a very specific and unique audience. The medical world is everywhere, and so is English. Most research ultimately wishes to find its way into English medical//health science journals, for better or worse.
I am stuggling myself with whether I should bother with a TEFL BEFORE I look at teaching abroad. While it would not doubt help, teaching English at this level would assume a certain command that may be at a higher level than TEFL. Now this is just a theory.
Any thoughts? And jobs?