According to Ramón Ribes, one of the creators of the Springer Medical English books , only 5% of Spanish doctors dare to have a telephone conversation in English. But if you work in the health field, knowing this language can give you many advantages. Today we tell you the keys to English for doctors.
Why is it important to know English for doctors?
It is said that Spanish doctors have a very good academic education, but new zealand phone number list English is not up to par. And this is a pity, since for this profession, knowing English can bring many advantages :
Doctors who know English can easily keep up to date with the latest developments in their specialty, since scientific articles are published in this language.
Knowing English gives you access to all kinds of specialized training resources , both online and in person.
Being able to make presentations in English makes it possible to participate in international conferences and therefore facilitates professional projection.
And of course, mastering this language is essential to be able to work abroad , either permanently or through stays in English-speaking hospitals.
Is English difficult for doctors?
In order to be able to use English professionally as a doctor, it is necessary to have a certain general basic level, but it is also essential to master specialized vocabulary . According to Ribes, the good news is that 50% of medical terminology is of Greco-Latin origin, so it is easily understandable for a Spanish speaker.
Other issues specific to English for doctors are the abbreviations that are very common in this profession, and the jargon that is used every day in the hospital, which can be incomprehensible to a novice. For example, in the surgical world, dance with me does not mean “dance with me”, but “tie me up”. It is the expression that the surgeon uses moments before entering the operating room so that, once sterilized, someone can tie his gown behind him.
English learning resources for doctors
If you work in the healthcare industry and want to improve your English, there are many specialized resources that can help you. Here are three examples to get you started:
Springer Medical English. This series of books written by doctors with the advice of native speakers is aimed especially at doctors who go abroad to work, want to publish in international journals or simply want to keep up to date with the latest developments in the sector in English. In addition to general medical English, it has specialized volumes on cardiovascular, biomedicine, primary care, radiology and surgery.
Spanish Doctors. This monthly magazine (including audio clips and online assessments) is specially designed for learning or improving medical English. It is aimed at doctors of all specialties and levels of English, but other health professionals can also benefit from it. It is produced by the bilingual doctors' organisation Spandoc.
The keys to English for doctors
-
- Posts: 854
- Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2024 3:33 am