Dataset Information

Mind your language: the importance of english language skills in an International Medical Programme (IMP).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Language proficiency is crucial for doctors as they communicate with patients, peers and other healthcare professionals. Although proficiency in English is part of admission requirements, there is a gap in the knowledge of medical students' perception of factors enhancing English language (EL) skills during training in international medical programmes (IMPs). The gap prevents educators and policy makers from helping students who struggle with communication skills during medical training. This study therefore explores the importance of English language skills from medical students' perspectives.

Methods

Six focus group interviews with 24 medical students were conducted in an IMP. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's framework of thematic analysis.

Results

Results established three themes that constitute the importance of EL skills, namely the use of EL in medical training and practice, influence of university culture in EL mastery and individual EL proficiency as perceived by medical students.

Conclusions

Findings of this study demonstrate how students perceived the importance of EL skills as a professional and social requirement during medical training and for future practice. It also informs that setting English language admission pre requisites needs to be complemented with opportunities to practice context specific communication skills. Thus, international medical programmes should embed diverse and inclusive strategies to support and develop medical students' English language skills.

SUBMITTER: Chan SMH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9134667 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Mind your language: the importance of english language skills in an International Medical Programme (IMP).

Chan Sharon Min Hui SMH Mamat Norul Hidayah NH Nadarajah Vishna Devi VD

BMC medical education 20220526 1

<h4>Background</h4>Language proficiency is crucial for doctors as they communicate with patients, peers and other healthcare professionals. Although proficiency in English is part of admission requirements, there is a gap in the knowledge of medical students' perception of factors enhancing English language (EL) skills during training in international medical programmes (IMPs). The gap prevents educators and policy makers from helping students who struggle with communication skills during medica ...[more]

PMID: 35619080

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Project description:BackgroundPeer-assisted learning has been shown to be constructive in numerous aspects of undergraduate medical education. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills to non-native English-speaking students.MethodsA medical English conversation course was conducted at Damascus University by a group of students. Targeted participants were intermediate level fellow students from the same program. A longitudinal study was carried out between 1 st to 31 st March 2019 to assess changes in self-assessment of English language skills among course participants. Pre- and post-course appraisal involved a review of previous experience with medical English language, a self-assessment of five English language skills, and an objective measurement of medical English knowledge. In addition, participants were requested to respond to a set of statements related to the importance and the usefulness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills. Paired-sample Student t-test was used to compare pre- and post-course appraisal results.Results42 students attended the course and completed pre- and post-course appraisals in full. Data analyses showed a statistically significant increase in participants' confidence in speaking medical English in public ( p<0.001) and using English in various medical settings (presenting and discussing cases, writing clinical reports, interviewing patients and reading English medical texts). Objective measurements of medical English knowledge confirmed a significant increase in participants' knowledge of methods of administration of therapeutics, knowledge of human body parts in English and familiarity with English medical abbreviations. Most participants agreed that peer-education was effective in teaching medical English skills to non-native English-speaking students and in increasing their confidence when using English in real-life medical scenarios.ConclusionsThe present study highlights the effectiveness of peer-assisted teaching of medical English skills to non-native English-speaking medical students. Further validation is required and should compare the effectiveness of traditional versus peer-assisted teaching approaches.

Project description:IntroductionThe objective of present paper is to outline the methodology of the International Study of Definitions of English-Language Terms for Suicidal Behaviours (ISDELTSB). The aim of the study is to survey existing English language terms and definitions used around the world for suicidal behaviour.Methods and analysisThe ISDELTSB is a worldwide survey based on one 'designated expert' per each WHO-registered country. 'Experts' were contacted through the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), the World Psychiatric Association and the World Organization of Family Doctors. Each individual was sent an invitation to participate and a link to an online questionnaire. A comparison sample was created by inviting all IASP members to respond to the questionnaire. The questionnaire was designed to assess respondents' preferences about a particular set of terms and definitions by using the four major criteria of the definition of suicide identified in the literature (outcome, intent, knowledge and agency). The questionnaire used a multiple-choice question format. Participants were asked to choose one term in the list for each of the proposed definitions. Statements and definitions in the questionnaire were elaborated using the four main features of the definition of suicide, starting by the definitions and terms for which there is already a certain degree of consensus and then progressing to definitions and terms less agreed on.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol obtained approval of Griffith University's Ethics Committee (ethics reference number 2017/601) and in accordance with the Australian National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Respondents are asked if they accept to be personally acknowledged in any output originating from this study, and if so to provide their full name, title and affiliations. If respondents do not accept, they are informed that the conduct of this research respects Griffith University's Privacy Plan and that identified personal information is confidential and that anonymity will at all times be safeguarded. As detailed in the questionnaire cover letter, by answering the online or paper version of the questionnaire, respondents express their consent to participate. Dissemination of results will be done through a peer-reviewed journal article publication. This study aims to map the international use of definitions and terms for suicidal behaviour and ideation and favour the future use of an internationally shared set of terms and definitions. This will hopefully avoid undue duplication of efforts and reliably permit meta-analysis of data produced in different countries.

Dataset Information

Mind your language: the importance of english language skills in an International Medical Programme (IMP).

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Mind your language: the importance of english language skills in an International Medical Programme (IMP).

Similar Datasets

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