Medical English Program

Since the pandemic in 2020, many health professionals are migrating to English-
speaking countries like the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

The need to be fluent in colloquial English is usually obtained through institutes

like ICPNA, but there is a gap for these professionals that needs to be filed in a serious
and organized manner to obtain a license to practice.

Aside from learning pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, they need to learn
medical terminology as well as practice real-life scenarios of interaction with patients and
other health professionals.

I consider that ICPNA is inadvertently neglecting this opportunity to expand its

offer. We need to take advantage of the current need these professionals have that have
been filled by private tutors. I have been teaching health professionals since August 2020
and ran across some private tutors who most of the time lack the credentials or expertise
and could not produce relevant teaching materials.

In my experience as an interpreter, medical and chemical-pharmaceutical

translator who is now teaching said professionals, what they require is not only to pass a
proficiency exam in English such as TOEFL or IELTS but to complement what they have
already learned with medical terminology and speaking practice that allows them to
perform correctly in an interview initially, and then be able to obtain the corresponding
licenses to practice their profession in those countries. These exams imply a vast
knowledge of medical and chemical-pharmaceutical terminology by the applicant. This is
the part that they are not receiving from the common English programs offered by the
existing institutes in our country, since their needs are different. We can bridge the gap.

For example, a 90-minute class includes terminology, speaking, pronunciation of

mostly medical terms, and a fast simple revision of grammar. This course must be directed
to at least upper-intermediate or ideally advanced-level students.
 A typical class’s objective might be: To check in a patient.

The function: Interviewing a patient. Giving directions.

The language: Describing location. The call button is next to the light.

Grammar: Prepositions of place, imperative, questions in the simple present,

simple past, and Wh- questions.

Here I include a sample of the teaching and practice material I use with my health
professional students for the terminology portion:
This is an example of the teaching and practice material I use for pronunciation:
 This is an example of a Speaking activity with my students:

The creation of a Medical English Program for health professionals is not difficult
to implement, but I would add it is the perfect timing to consider this program a priority
that could later be expanded to other professions.