How to Teach English to Healthcare Professionals

​Demand has never been greater for teachers of English for the  healthcare sector. Indeed ,  most university faculties require their healthcare students to study English as part of their degrees and some now teach  in the field through the medium of English.

 Many healthcare professionals work overseas to extend their practice and need English to communicate either with native speakers or as a lingua franca with non-native speaker patients and colleagues.   English language competence (IELTS 7.5 or OET Grade B) is required by many registration boards before licenses to practice are granted, so ensuring safe practice as per Codes of Practice and Codes of Ethics.   The rise in medical tourism further extends the need for English as a means for communication.

There are also an increasing number of courses offered in preparation for OET by private language schools, individual trainers and institutions of higher and further education, where a grasp of   clinical communications skills  and the impact for an effective patient encounter  is key. 
During the course, you will (learn how to):
  • build confidence, knowledge and understanding of clinical communications skills,
  • understand and address the communication needs of learners in the healthcare context,
  •  gain   familiarity with the concepts, skills, lexis & discourse of clinical communications,
  • grasp the fundamental elements of the Occupational  English Test (OET)
  • acquire an understanding of suitable methodologies and frameworks for the teaching of clinical  communications skills,
  • develop and deliver your programmes with effective and measurable outcomes.​
Testimonials
Trainees come to the course with very different  backgrounds and experiences in the field of English for healthcare. 
Read what some of them have said about  How to Teach English to Healthcare Professionals.
​
Anne-Marie 
I had no prior knowledge of clinical communications skills and so Ros’ course was a revelation!







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Shane
I had some general awareness of clinical communication skills before signing up for this course as I’ve been teaching OET candidates for quite some time. Now, having completed Ros' programme, I’m convinced it's a 'must-have' certification for all OET trainers.
 Giuseppina
Completing Ros’s course, 'How to Teach Clinical Communications Skills' was a win-win for me. Not only is it proving to be indispensable for teaching OET exam students, but most of the skills covered on the course are also fully transferable to other ESP fields and to ELT in general.




Farnaz
As a Business English and ESP teacher, as well as a teacher trainer working with a wide range of medical teams and professionals, I really enjoyed the course. I appreciated the pace of the modules, the interactions with my coursemates, and the opportunity to share ideas and challenges with one another.
Drew
​As a retired emergency medicine physician, I completed medical school in the United States, graduating in 1982. In my training, we had no specific instruction in clinical communication; rather, it was something we picked up along the way from our teachers, peers, and patient feedback. It was a rather hit-and-miss, trial-by-error process in the '80s in the US.
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Reena
While I’d never taught English for healthcare, I had been a community pharmacist in the UK for a number of years before pivoting to teaching, which meant clinical communication skills already featured in my skill set. However, using these skills and teaching them are quite different.
FAQs
Here's the most commonly asked question:
What if I don’t have any medical training?
This course does not assume any prior knowledge of medicine or healthcare, although those with a background in healthcare are very welcome to join. The course focuses predominantly on developing effective patient communications, which does not require a knowledge of medical terminology and jargon; quite the opposite in fact.  You will however, come across terms that may be new to you. For this, I provide a glossary.
Still unsure?
Interested  to  chat about the course and how  it can benefit you and your learners in the healthcare sector,
then contact me  to schedule a free 30-min call.