AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

In today's globalized world, the health professional has often the need to communicate in English with patients and colleagues. The aim of this course is not that of teaching how to read a medical text, but to help to practice medicine in English, possibly in a human context different from the one we are familiar with.

To acquire the writing skills in technical English that are needed to draft a scientific text.   To communicate in English with patients and colleagues, and overcome cultural barriers, in order to practice medicine in a foreign environment. The program is carried out over three years from English 1 (improving the student’s knowledge of English to B2 level) to English 2-3-4 (Scientific and Medical English). 

Although English has been the lingua franca of science for over a century, young Italian researchers often find it difficult to produce a manuscript for an international journal in a style acceptable for publication. From the point of view of the journal editor who receives the manuscript, if the English language is poor, difficult to read and understand, or includes grammar and style faults, the paper is unacceptable. In fact, it would require heavy and expensive editing before publication.  What is more, a weak style of the manuscript may cast a shadow on the scientific soundness of its results and the fairness of its discussion and conclusions. On the contrary, an easily readable text, devoid of repetitions or contradictions, which presents in logical sequence the author’s findings and comments, is a great wild card to rapid publication of the work done in the laboratory or in the clinical ward.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures, Videos

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The aim of this course is not that of teaching how to read a medical text, but to help to practice medicine in English, possibly in a social context different from the one our students are familiar with. The first two lectures concern the cultural barriers that may hamper communication with patients of a different ethnic background. In the following lectures, the health professional enters a virtual hospital, meet its staff, and visit its individual operating units. Our students  encounter virtual patients, collect their medical histories, perform their physical examination, set down medical records, request diagnostic tests, and prescribe therapy. 

Introduction & Cultural Barriers

National Health Services

Scientific Writing, Grammar, and Style

 Scientific Journals

 Layout of a Scientific Article

 Grammar

 Sentence Fragments

 Comma Splice

 Colons &  Semicolons

Hyphen

 Fahrenheit vs Celsius

 British vs American Spelling

 Units of Measurement

 Issues of style

The Hospital

Standard Precautions

Medical Records

Anatomy

Health, Disease, Death 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pesce C, Medical English, Zanichelli, 2020

LESSONS

LESSONS START

October 2023

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy