English for doctors

ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Revised, Re-organised, Updated

100 ONLINE
3
rd hours

Edition ENGLISH LEVEL: B2 & C1

Upper-intermediate & advanced

Communicating accurately and effectively is

critical to the safety, care and wellbeing of
patients. “It could be a mandatory
course before working in an
This 100-hour, online course teaches the English speaking country.”
English that enables international doctors Dr Simona Huica
to deliver outstanding levels of practice and
care, build strong relationships with patients “This is what we need in
and colleagues, and lead and participate in real life during work.”
successful healthcare teams. Dr Rita Pénzes
The course is designed for doctors and “It was a brilliant course.”
medical students with an upper-intermediate Dr Mohammed Abu Allen
or advanced (B2 or C1) level of English who
work or study in English.

Course Content
Patient Admission
• Greeting a patient
• Clerking a patient
• Non-verbal communication
• Therapeutic listening
• Completing a patient admission form
• Writing a patient file note
• The body: anterior, posterior
• Wounds and burns
Interviewing a Patient
• The language used in healthcare
• Conducting patient interviews
• The Calgary – Cambridge Observation Guide
• Asking different types of questions
• Cardiovascular conditions
• Respiratory symptoms and conditions
• Describing strokes
• The body: the nose, head, face
Taking Observations
• Blood pressure and pulse
• Temperature
• Neurological changes
• Hospital charts: Early Warning Score
• The body: the arm, hands
• The body: skin, nails, hair
Past Medical History
• Patient centred care
• Allergies and adverse drug reactions
• Taking a sexual history
• Substance misuse
• Describing dementia
• Challenging behaviours in the elderly
• The body: the chest
 Talking about Pain • Administering medications, PCA
• Types of pain • Hospital charts: controlled drugs, oxygen therapy
• Pain severity • Writing a discharge letter
• Pain location
• Using pain scales Discussing Surgery
• Chronic back pain • Surgical procedures
• The body: muscles, tendons, bones, ligaments • Cosmetic surgery
• Hospital chart: VTE
Examining a Patient • Arthritis
• Patient confidentiality • The body: hips, thighs, legs
• Putting a patient at ease • The body: shoulders
• The female reproductive system • Using SBAR
• Doing an internal examination
• Protecting vulnerable patients Pre-operative Care
• Writing GP letters • Consent, infection control, MRSA
• Pre-operative investigations
Explaining Tests • Assessing level of risk: anaesthesia
• Blood tests, taking a blood sample • Healthcare acquired infections
• Radiological tests • The kidneys, fluid loss, dehydration
• Testing for tuberculosis • Inserting an IV cannula
• Cervical smear tests • IV fluids
• Taking a urine specimen
• Diabetes tests Post-operative Care
• Hospital forms: pathology forms • Giving a post-operative handover
• The body: the ears • Endocrine disorders: subtotal thyroidectomy
• Wound infections
Discussing a Diagnosis • Hospital charts: sepsis screening tool
• Discussing different diagnoses • Suggesting lifestyle changes
• Discussing injuries • The body: mouth, eyes, the senses
• Discussing IBS • Writing a discharge letter
• Infectious diseases and conditions
• Answering a bleep Oncology and End-of-Life Care
• The body: intestines, abdomen • Types of cancers
• The body: feet, ankles • Oncology and chemotherapy
• Radiotherapy
Explaining Treatment • The breast and breast cancer
• Managing diabetes • Cancer of the cervix
• Managing constipation • Lung cancer
• Managing urinary incontinence • Palliative care
• Managing asthma • End-of-life care
• Stoma therapy • Hospital charts: DNAR orders

This course is accredited by international awarding body, NOCN, and by the CPD Standards
Office in the UK, whose professional qualifications are recognised worldwide. On course completion,
learners receive an End-of-Course Achievement Certificate confirming 80 CPD points.

i +44 1273 900 213 medical@specialistlanguagecourses.com