Job Discussion Forums

[Nana00]

Has anyone taught English at Dalian Medical University before? What was your experience like? The good? The bad?

What do you teach (lesson plans, etc)? Class size? What to watch out for? Any info you can share will be helpful!

[dialogger]

I take it you have a an offer to start end August?
Haven't personal info but know Uni well.
Have met a number of foreign students (Indian) studying there.
Generally I got impression that there are problems with accomodation on campus. You may want to find own and get a subsidy off the school.
Still it's handy to town with bus and light rain literally at gate.

[themanymoonsofjupiter]

The only info on this school seems to be the above post, about a year old. Was anything ever found out? Is there anyone new who can give info on this school?

[dialogger]

As there dooesn't seem to be anyone coming forward with information on the Medical University I suggest avoid it.
If you are looking for an August start in Dalian, you might contact Dalian Maritime University (DMU) or Dongbei (North East Region) University of Finance and Economics (DUFE). Both have excellent teacher accomodation.
Avoid Foreign Trade 'Uni' at Lushun (even if your accom is in Dalian) it's poison.

[Hansen]

I had experience with one medical school in another province. Absolutely worst accomodation I have ever seen, a rathole. Can't say that this is true for all medical universities. I did see the flat of an FT at another medical uni. It was in the foreign students dorm. These places, a dorm, are not the best circumstances in which to live.

OTOH, medical universities can be interesting places to work. You might be teaching English to med students from other countries.

If you have a health care background, I would not dismiss this opportunity until you have good reason to so do.

[dialogger]

Good points Hansen but if OP is a newbie, a 'good' start in China is important.
Why take the risk, when no-one on Dave's so far, has identified Dalian MU as a good gig?
There are good jobs going in Dalian in other unis.
I agree that interaction with foreign students studying in China can be rewarding.
The Dalian MU students from India that I met (in the local McDonalds) were charming.
As an aside, my Chinese companion was a bit taken aback by the ease with which I got into conversation with the students.
A kind of 'how come you know these people?'
I had to explain that the 'western' world interacts in all kinds of ways that don't include China.
As I recall we chatted for over an hour about cricket.

[Buck Lin]

No communication is what it is about. No meetings of foreign teachers only observers in the class. Maybe the place is good because they have never had a foreigner. Medicine today is no longer in Latin but English. They still use Latin in the hospitals around China, ie cardio as in Cardiovascular and hepa as in hepatitis. Latin is used in medicine around the world but not much in China. So if you come to this school pick up a Latin dictionary I will guarantee it will be a good investmen.

[Hansen]

About 75% of medical terms are actually from Greek, not Latin. The spelling of the Greek words has been Latinized.

Cardia is the Greek word for heart
Hepar is the Greek word for liver
Corona is the Latin word for crown from whence comes the term coronary.

Legitimate schools in the USA will not allow ESL students into medical terminology classes until they reach a certain proficiency in English. China: Mud on the wall, whatever sticks.

[Buck Lin]

Dear Hanson I stand corrected. But fifty years ago doctors and most university students studied latin the lingua franca of the times. I also would like to correct myself in that Chinese doctors know latin but do not know how to pronounce the words. Not that it matters in an electonic world.

[suanlatudousi]

The actual fact is, the Chinese medical "system" uses the Latin basis of medicine because that is how it is taught in America and other English based systems.

[Buck Lin]

Good to hear from you Suanladatuous. Could you give us the names of some hospitals here in China, where we can get treated in English or Latin? We need to know. Most of us here have no experience in China and know that doctors here spend at least 8 years studying before they become certified. I myself get treated only with Chinese medicine. It is the best and keeps you away from an expensive western procedures. This is the reason I don't know that all Chinese doctors are able to speak English and Latin.

[nanyangbicyclist]

I do know that this Universities contract is not very teacher friendly. The teachers are responsible for the fees associated with entry (visas, medical {in China!}, and whatever else you need). They might tell you 5,000-6,000 for salary, then when you get the contract it says 4,000. They will tell you that you will have a computer, then in the contract it will say you can share one in the office. This school would be a very bad introduction to teaching in China. I would strongly suggest another school.

[dialogger]

I've heard in the last couple of days that the Medical U is moving down peninsula to Lushun. Not sure about that as teaching university would need to be adjacent to a hospital?
When I've mentioned Dalian MU prev I meant Medical not Maritime. Maritime is OK in my exp.

[YAMARI]

If anyone knows the details to a decent medical university can you please pm me. I have 3 years of anatomy and lots of clinical experience.

[Hansen]

About 3/4 of medical terms come from Greek rather than Latin. Latin is represented, but much less so than Greek. Many of the terms passed through Latin before coming into English, which could confuse some people regarding their etymology.

For instance, regarding the kidneys, renal is a Latin based word for kidneys, nephro/ is a Greek based term, as in nephrology.

Those really interested may check out the following link:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=194697&pageindex=1#page