Филологические науки /7 Язык, речь, речевая
коммуникация
A.A. Magzumova (student of group 2-090 GM), T.M. Savyolova
(Master of Arts of the philological speciality), O.I. Levina (Master of Arts of the philological
speciality)
Karaganda State Medical
University, Kazakhstan
The English language in international medical
community
This article is
devoted to the importance and necessity of learning English among the
medical students.
As the statistics
shows most of modern medical universities’ students ask themselves this
question. Urgency of this theme lies in the fact that, according to the
research, 63% of respondents don’t suppose learning English to be important,
including 48% who suppose the English language to be a school subject that
doesn’t have any important influence on professional training of medical
workers.
So, what could
cause this wrong belief? The reason can be formed during study at school, in
the period of discovering jobs and connecting definite images with each of them
in mind of a child. Later on these images are extended by new facts, which are
more specific. So, by the end of study a school graduate will be given new,
unknown before, information on chosen profession at university. Especially, at
medical university he reckons on a detailed study of the Latin language,
general and morbid anatomy, physiology, biochemistry. But in the first year he
faces subjects of general education, common for any higher institution of the
country, in this list he notices a lot of subjects involved into school program
and studied before, including the English language as well. Basing on that a
student has an impression (which is generally wrong) that study of these
subjects is simple revision of what he has already studied.
Actually they are
partially right. For instance, being common for everyone, History gives
knowledge necessary for every citizen of the republic, and basis of analysis of
political events, taking place in different periods of history; so that this
subject develops analytical thinking, but as a subject it seldom gets a
complete reflection in any speciality, although unawareness of history reflects
on treating a specialist as a well-educated person. Absolutely different
position is taken by the English language, especially in medical practice.
Today in the
world community English is an international language, despite of attempts of
some countries to create a group with their own common language. On an example
of Kazakhstan it is obvious that a specialist who speaks Kazakh can be hired easily
in the motherland, the one who speaks Russian can be hired in countries of CIS,
English speaking specialist can get a job in any place of the world. Even this
lets us conclude that the English language plays an important role in the
process of teaching students, planning study or work abroad.
Moreover, there
is another fact to take into account: intensive integrating of our country in
the world community, which already has the results and causes necessity to
study the international language. Let’s have a good look at the following
example: rather successful graduate of a medical university got job at one of
the clinics in the capital city. In this situation it is important to remember
the fact that the most part of international events are held in the capital.
So, there is a chance for the representatives of other countries or tourists
who don’t speak Russian to need help of a local doctor. Taking into account
long flights, acclimatization and time difference, health problems at foreign
citizens are rather logical thing that can happen to them. In this case there
is no need to explain that knowing English language and ability to communicate
without an interpreter influence on practice of this doctor and his/her career
as well.
Also English
language gives an obvious advantage to medical workers who deal with
pharmaceuticals, since new effective medicines worked out recently are supplied
from abroad. Naturally, all manuals, description of the way a medicine works,
its composition and other urgent information is given in English and the
language of producing country. If a medical worker doesn’t speak the latter, he
has an opportunity to read doubled information in international language. So,
if a doctor speaks the international language, it is much easier to order this
medicine or study its influence on a body of a patient before prescribing.
Apart from
medicines, erratic level of technical development of the countries should be
taken into consideration. For instance, in some countries not all clinics have
a computerized tomographic system or a rheograph. The question of qualified
medical equipment is rather urgent in the most cities and towns of the country;
besides, Kazakhstan doesn’t produce medical equipment independently. As a
result, almost all equipment in our hospitals is either imported or left from
the time of Soviet Union. Usually there aren’t any problems with equipment
supplied by CIS, but in the cases of ordering western medical equipment an
awkward situation can take place – a machine doesn’t work at all or it is used
rarely. The reason is usually the same – unawareness of a foreign language and
principle of work of this machine. Unfortunately, the existence of this problem
is obvious and it raises urgency of a foreign language study on the school stage
and its detailed learning at university.
There is no
difference between countries; this means that the progress in medicine of a
definite country shouldn’t be the benefit only for this nation and nearby ones.
To solve global problems of modern medicine in different places of the world
the great amount of international research and practical conferences on
different subjects is held. And, as a rule, these conferences are held in
English. Of course, at the global conferences it is urgently to provide translation,
but, unfortunately, the quality of the latter in some definite institution is
not appropriate. This means that the participants of these conferences may not
follow presentations of achievement, as misunderstanding may take place; even
without translation some participants may not understand the speech if they
don’t speak the international language. In this situation advantage of knowing
the foreign language is doubtless.
Since
interconnection between clinics of different countries was mentioned, it’s
necessary to notice international experience exchange. Actually, this politics
has some advantages and it must be described. Which benefits does this
international experience exchange give? That’s not only an opportunity to visit
another country, but also an opportunity to visit a clinic with different
rules, methods of cure, specifics of looking after patients, quality of service
and working conditions of medical staff.
As they say:
everything is learnt in comparison, and only comparing different approaches a
doctor can analyze a method of cure, which he supposes to be the main one, and
come to an objective conclusion, mention its merits and demerits, extending it
with something useful that has been seen, or vice versa advising to exclude the
latter from the practice because it’s inappropriate in comparison with a method
of cure the same disease in the European countries. This and a lot of other
things influence on the qualification of a doctor as a specialist, able to
provide qualified cure of a patient. So, it’s doubtlessly that knowing the
international language is a doubtless advantage in medical practice and it will
always be taken into account while hiring, evaluating qualification, defending
the category and, as a result, accounting salary and other payments. This
factor is really urgent for every student, intern and doctor.
Almost all
students continue learning the English language in the first year of Medical
University, but by the end of their study achieved skills are usually lost.
This is connected with the fact that the main medical disciplines need more
attention of a student in the reason of their importance and difficulty while
getting medical education. But in the fourth year when it’s time to choose
further specialization, the most students dream about study abroad at the
leading European and American clinics.
Exactly then
appears the necessity of knowledge of the English language. It’s rather obvious
that the lost time never comes back and language skills are lost as well and
it’s impossible to become fluent in any language in short terms; therefore the
most graduates, who want to apply for study abroad, are excluded from the list
of volunteers. But those who keep learning English in spite of anything have a
real opportunity to continue their study abroad. Moreover, the president of our
country supports an idea of English learning and in our sovereign country a
student is given a chance to get Master’s Degree and pass residency in English
speaking countries. As a result, this allows a graduate to get qualified
education abroad and s/he has an opportunity to improve skills of the chosen
profession; that is really important to a future doctor. A doctor can take part
in international conferences and symposiums with his/her reports and master classes
as well as his/her foreign colleagues.
To sum up, it is
true to come to the conclusion about the great role of the English language in
the process of study at all universities and medical one particularly.
Future trends of
medical English study
What advantages
does the knowledge of the English language give?
· A student gets an opportunity to be fluent on medical terminology, this
offers a chance to take part in international medical programs and further
getting a job abroad;
· An opportunity to improve basic knowledge of the spoken language;
· An opportunity to use the knowledge to take part in international
conferences, this offers a chance to get and share experience, improve
professional skills;
· An opportunity to communicate with colleagues from other countries,
participation in medical forums in different countries;
· An opportunity to confirm qualification (diploma) in other countries;
· Medical English study with a purpose for English language exams training
according to the set standards of the World Health Organization.
References:
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2012.-Вып.10.-с.8-10.
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Англо-русский медицинский энциклопедический словарь (под ред. акад. Чучалина А.
Г.) – М., 1995.
3.
Как учить английский язык - мой опыт.// Английский язык.- М., 2008. с.10-15.
4. Кролик Н.И. Английский язык для
студентов-медиков// Английский язык.- М., 2003.с. 23