) + its own specific vocabulary for a specific purpose.
And today we are starting a rubric for those who learn English for work. In this series of articles, we will learn where to find the very professional vocabulary. We decided to devote the first issue to medical English (especially since today is the international day of the dentist).
The use of English in medicine is very extensive: doctors communicate with each other at international conferences (and if you don't know the language, you won't go), a doctor may come across a foreign patient, many devices and devices are of foreign origin (with an English-language description) and, of course, English allows you to read professional literature, research and world scientific news, the translation of which can not wait.
P.S. the article is suitable for those who already have a sufficient level of proficiency in the language, because first you need to master General English, and only to "impose" professional English on it.
Where can I find professional vocabulary?
Where to upgrade your skills?
Where to Find Vocabulary: The Medical English Program
I think the medical reader will agree that the professional vocabulary for his field has a fairly wide range: these are organs of the human body, and symptoms, and the names of diseases, and the terms of chemistry, biology ... Latin, but still the vocabulary is quite complex. Where to get it?
1. Textbooks of English for doctors
Textbooks are ideal for those who decide to master the language on their own. After all, the teacher would have built a program for the student, and the textbook can partially replace this program.
English in Medicine- a course for healthcare professionals who communicate with patients and colleagues in English. Thanks to various tasks, it develops all 4 skills.
Professional English in Use Medicine- another medical course from Cambridge. Covers a wide range of medical vocabulary and is great for independent work.
Check Your English Vocabulary for Medicine- a workbook that will help you master basic medical terminology. Includes crosswords, puzzles, games, tests, etc.
Oxford English for Careers: Medicine and Nursing- these are 2 courses designed for medical professionals and nurses. Includes exercises, situational grammar reference, vocabulary, audio recordings.
L.G. Kozyrev. English for medical colleges- Russian-language textbook, which is suitable for those whose English is just gaining momentum. Includes essential vocabulary and grammar.
M. S. Muraveyskaya. Medical English- a course that is also suitable for beginners. Mainly aimed at ensuring that the student can read professional literature in English.
Good practice- a full-fledged course for mastering spoken English. Includes audio and DVD with doctor and patient dialogs + worksheets for working with these recordings.
And these are not all textbooks and training courses that are intended for medical professionals. But we're moving on to dedicated websites and online English courses for doctors.
2. Online English courses for doctors
I found another great source for human body parts vocabulary: the interactive anatomy site innerbody.com.
4. Professional literature: blogs, magazines, conference records
You are reading a book / news / article about medicine on English language and you write out unfamiliar words from there, which you will learn later. So the words will be in a good memorable context for you, and you will learn them much stronger.
Materials on Lingualeo: medical texts in English
Yes, our service is famous for the richest collection of materials in English. There is so much there: books, scientific articles, and conference recordings ... The main beauty is that you can 1. poke at an unfamiliar word ⇒ 2. see the translation ⇒ 3. add this word for study in Lingualeo ⇒ 4. and master through it. And the context from which the word is taken will always be with you.
We also have thematic materials for doctors. For example, a collection with interactive subtitles or an entire collection. Also take a look at our collection and select the tags Health & Society or Biology & Life Science on the right.
How to search: go to the section and enter a query in English into the search box (for example, Medicine). Materials appearing on request can be filtered by difficulty level, format (Video, audio, text), etc. Detailed instructions.
Journals and Blogs: Medical Articles in English
Reading foreign professional blogs and news resources means being aware of all the latest. Reading them in English means improving your language along the way. As I said, you don't have to be afraid of unfamiliar words on English-language resources: help. With its help, you can also add words for study from absolutely any sites (as well as from our materials).
You can also "drive" the article you are interested in on Lingualeo and study it in your spare minutes through. How to add materials - read the link.
I will list a few links to medical journals in English.
- New England Journal of Medicine
- Journal of the American Medical Association
- Free Medical Journals
- Science Magazine
- British Medical Journal
- General Medical Council
- Medical Journal of Australia
- www.abc.net.au
- OMICS International
- emedicine.medscape.com
- www.physiciansweekly.com
- www.thedoctorblog.com
- medicalnewstoday.com
- news-medical.net
You will find more sites in special selections: Health & Medical Magazines / Journals and 10 Physician-Authored Blogs Worth Reading.
Improving skills: listening and speaking practice for doctors
Language proficiency is based on 4 skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. If you study in a training course (or with a teacher), then you will be given exercises to develop all sides.
But if you practice yourself and use the online materials and medical scientific articles in English (listed above), then you will need resources to develop listening and speaking practice (speaking and writing).
Listening
- Health radio broadcasts in Australia filled with medical vocabulary. Follow the link to find audio recordings and their scripts.
- Health BBS News. On the right you will see the Watch / Listen column, which contains video and audio materials.
- Health Videos. Small videos on medical topics with text transcript.
- BBC Radio Inside Health.
- Another radio show from BBC Science in Action.
- Professional podcast "From a Doctor's Perspective" from the British Council.
Speech practice
For the full development of the language, speech practice is needed. If you don't have real situations of communication in English yet, you can use communication on social networks with English-speaking people. Doctors have their own professional social networks!
To summarize: learning medical English online
- If you are learning English for work, then you will need your specific knowledge. To a greater extent - this is the possession of a special vocabulary.
- You can search for this vocabulary in special sets of words and dictionaries, as well as in (speeches from professional conferences, scientific articles, science news, etc.).
- Also, do not forget about the development of all skills: reading, listening (listen to professional podcasts and radio broadcasts), speaking and writing (practice professional speech on special social networks).
So you haven't learned English yet!
We have a huge amount of materials about medicine, as well as courses, vocabulary and grammar training. There are already 17 million of us, but with you there will be even more! 🙂
A collection of words used in medicine. There are three main medical vocabularies in English: Stedman, Tabers, and Dorland. Many dictionaries have several versions / target readers: for doctors, students, popular. Medical Dictionary ... ... Wikipedia
Medical calculator- This term has other meanings, see Calculator (meanings). A medical calculator is a tool that simplifies the actions of medical personnel by providing access to a specialized medical information system and ... ... Wikipedia
Medical- 1. Related to medicine, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various diseases. 2. Therapeutic. This term is used to describe such diseases that respond well to conservative treatment without the use of ... ... Medical terms
medical- to provide medical assistance .. Dictionary of Russian synonyms and expressions similar in meaning. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999. Merciful medical, medical, medical Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Synonym dictionary
MEDICAL- Related to medicine or medical science; healing. An explanation of the 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. Mikhelson AD, 1865. MEDICAL related to medicine or medical science; ... ...
MEDICAL ADVICE- an institution that issues medical cases, not from the side of managing them, like the Medical Department, but only from the side of study, examination and censorship. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Pavlenkov F., 1907. MEDICAL ADVICE ... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
MEDICAL STAFF- MEDICAL STAFF, honey. workers serving honey. dignity institutions. M. n. Higher doctors, dentists; M. p. Average honey. sisters, paramedics, paramedics, midwives, dental technicians, X-ray technicians, dissectors and laboratories, ... ... Great medical encyclopedia
MEDICAL- MEDICAL, medical, medical. adj. to medicine. Faculty of Medicine. || Medical, medical. Health care. Medical supplies. ❖ Nurse see Nurse. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
MEDICAL WEIGHT- Pharmaceutical weight. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov AN, 1910. MEDICAL WEIGHT Pharmaceutical weight. An explanation of the 25,000 foreign words that have come into use in the Russian language, with the meaning of their roots. Mikhelson A.D., 1865 ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Medical control- see Medical control. EdwART. Glossary of terms of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 2010 ...
Medical squad- see Medical detachment. EdwART. Glossary of terms of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, 2010 ... Emergency Dictionary
Books
- Terminological Dictionary of Medicine, L.P. Greenberg. Terminological medical dictionary in Latin, German, French and Russian with the inclusion of expressions related to pharmacy, medical physics, chemistry, zoology, botany, ... Buy for 5003 rubles
- Medical Dictionary. Russian-German and German-Russian / Worterbuch der Medizin: Russisch-Deutsch, Deutsch-Russisch, A. Bolotina. The dictionary contains about 70,000 terms in all areas of medicine: anatomy, physiology, histology, surgery, ophthalmology, pediatrics, oncology, neurosurgery, as well as basic concepts ...
The words presented in this article will be useful, rather, not to doctors, but ordinary people familiar with medicine at the household level. There are no complicated medical terms here, I have selected common medical words in English that I hope you never need!
| medical insurance | medical insurance |
| health | health |
| diagnosis | diagnosis |
| pulse | pulse |
| doctor | |
| hygiene | hygiene |
| illness (disease) | disease |
| recovery | recovery |
| injury | trauma, damage |
| cough | cough |
| cold | cold |
| dose | dose |
| crutch | crutch |
| wheelchair | disabled carriage |
| painkiller | painkiller |
| patient | a patient |
| dropper | dropper |
| patch (plaster) | patch |
| side-effect | side effect |
| sleeping pills | hypnotic |
| thermometer | thermometer |
| surgery | operation (surgery) |
| syringe | syringe |
| medical examination | body check |
| blood pressure | blood pressure |
| urine test | Analysis of urine |
| drug test | drug test |
| X-ray | x-ray |
| treatment | treatment |
| therapy | therapy |
| prescription | recipe |
| medicine (drug) | medicine |
| injection (shot) | an injection |
| pharmacy (drugstore) | pharmacy |
| pills | pills |
| ointment | ointment |
| ambulance | Ambulance |
| bandage | bandage, bandage |
| first aid | first aid |
Disease names in English
In English, pain can be called three terms: pain, ache, hurt.
- Ache- this is pain in the medical sense, concentrated in one place: headache - headache, toothache - toothache.
- Pain- this is pain in a broader, everyday sense, as a rule, strong, unexpected. For example, if a dog bites or hits the finger with a hammer, it is pain.
- Hurt- usually used not as a noun, but as to hurt - 1) to feel pain, 2) to cause pain, injury.
All three words can be used to refer to mental pain.
- My behavior caused my parents a lot of heartache. - My behavior caused my parents a lot of emotional distress.
- It took her years to move past the pain of her divorce. “It took her years to get over the pain of divorce.
- Sally was extremely hurt that Molly didn’t invite her to her wedding. “It hurt Sally that Molly didn’t invite her to her wedding.
| abscess | abscess, abscess |
| ache (pain, hurt) | pain |
| allergy | allergy |
| asthma | asthma |
| bronchitis | bronchitis |
| bruise | bruise |
| burn | burn |
| cancer | cancer |
| cold | cold |
| cold (in the head) | runny nose |
| cut | a cut |
| diabetes | diabetes |
| diarrhea | diarrhea |
| fever | elevated temperature |
| flu (influenza) | flu |
| fracture | fracture |
| giddiness (dizziness) | dizziness |
| headache | headache |
| heart attack | heart attack |
| pus | pus |
| rash | rash |
| sickness | nausea (also: sickness) |
| stroke | stroke |
| sunstroke | sunstroke |
| symptom | symptom |
| toothache | toothache |
| wound | wound |
| gunshot wound | gunshot wound |
Medical staff in English
Pay attention to the word therapist- sometimes he is mistakenly understood as a "therapist", but it is a physiotherapist or sometimes a psychotherapist. English is closer to the word "therapist" in our understanding family doctor(family doctor, general practitioner) or physician.
| doctor, doctor | |
| nurse | nurse |
| physician | doctor (physician, therapist) |
| veterinarian | veterinarian |
| family doctor | family doctor (attending physician) |
| dentist | dentist |
| surgeon | surgeon |
| anesthesiologist | anesthetist |
| cardiologist | cardiologist |
| traumatologist | traumatologist |
| orthopedist | orthopedist |
| gastroenterologist | gastroenterologist |
| dermatologist | dermatologist |
| gynecologist | gynecologist |
| urologist | urologist |
| ophthalmologist | ophthalmologist, ophthalmologist |
| therapist | physiotherapist |
| pediatrician | pediatrician |
| healer | healer |
Human body (from a medical point of view)
Words on the topic “Human body” were already in, but they talked about the body from an athletic point of view: biceps, quads, etc. I reworked this selection to better correspond to medical topics. With these words, you can explain what hurts. And if it doesn't help, then point your finger 🙂
| height | height |
| weight | the weight |
| body | body |
| head | head |
| neck | neck |
| shoulder | shoulder |
| arm | hand (completely) |
| hand | arm hand) |
| wrist | wrist |
| forearm | forearm |
| chest | breast |
| back | back |
| lower back | small of the back |
| leg | leg |
| foot | sole |
| knee | knee |
| joints | joints | this wonderful site - there are native (and non-native) language teachers for all occasions and for every pocket 🙂 I myself went through more than 80 lessons with the teachers I found there! I advise you to try it too!
The dictionary contains okay 70 thousand terms. The dictionary contains terms denoting the main groups of concepts, processes and morphological structures characteristic of the human body in health and disease at various stages of its development; diseases and pathological conditions of a person; pathogens and vectors of diseases; methods of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases; group names of medicines, names of medicinal plants; apparatus, devices, instruments, etc. Abbreviations are given at the end of the dictionary. The dictionary is intended for medical professionals, translators, teachers and medical students.
A.
abacterial sterile, bacteria-free, aseptic
abalienation mental disorder
abapical abapical, directed from the apex; lower pole
abaptiston honey. those. conical trephine
abarognosis abarognosia (loss of ability to assess the weight of an object by touch)
abarthrosis joint, diarthrosis, synovial junction
abarticular 1. extra-articular 2. dislocated
abarticulation 1. dislocation 2.joint, diarthrosis, synovial junction
abasement omission; prolapse (organ)
abasia abasia (inability to walk, eg paralysis, muscle spasms)
choreic ~ choreic abazia
trembling ~ trembling abasia
abate to reduce, weaken, soothe (eg pain); subside, weaken (for example, about the manifestations of the disease)
abatement reduction, weakening, alleviation (eg pain)
abaxial abaxial; off-axis; opposite end of axis
abbreviated 1. abbreviated (eg about the course of treatment) 2. weakened (eg about infection); abortive (about the course of the disease)
abdomen abdomen; stomach
obsti-purn abdominal deformity due to shortening of the rectus muscles
acute ~ acute abdomen
boat-shaped ~ navicular abdomen
burst ~ sharp belly
carinate ~ navicular abdomen
distended ~ distended abdomen.
Free download an e-book in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book English-Russian Medical Dictionary, About 70,000 terms, Akzhigitov G.N., Benyumovich M.S., Chikorin A.K., 1992 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.
- Russian-English Dictionary, N. Korolev -
- Russian-English and English-Russian Situational Dictionary, M.I.Dubrovin - Vocabulary is a unique guide for everyone who wants to improve their speaking skills, expand their vocabulary and feel confident in any ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- Dictionary of New Words, D. Green, 1996 - Over 2,700 words and 4,000 definitions. An exciting overview of the new changes in the English language. Renowned linguist and writer Jonathon ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- The Big English-Russian Automobile Dictionary, V. Lesova, 1998 - The Big English-Russian Automobile Dictionary contains about 50,000 terms related to structures, parts and assemblies, operation and repair of automotive equipment. Dictionary … English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
The following tutorials and books:
- The English-Russian Dictionary of Metrology and Precision Measurement Technique, Ignatiev B.I., Yudin M.F., 1981 - The dictionary contains about 17 thousand terms and terminological combinations on metrological activity, legal metrology, applied metrology. Basic terminology for ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- The English-Russian Dictionary of Automation, Cybernetics and Control and Measuring Instruments, Ptashny L.K., 1971 - The English-Russian Dictionary of Automation, Cybernetics and Control and Measuring Instruments, which is a revised and enlarged edition of the English-Russian Dictionary of Automation and ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- English-Bashkir-Russian Dictionary, A Handbook for Students, Khasanov M.A., Khasanov A.M., 2009 - The dictionary contains about 7000 words and phrases that are most often found in school textbooks, manuals for optional classes, other popular science and ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- English-Russian complete legal dictionary, Mamulyan A.S., Kashkin S.Yu., 2005 - The second, revised and enlarged edition of the scientific-practical complete English-Russian legal dictionary contains about 60 thousand words and stable phrases used in ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
Previous articles:
- The Big English-Russian Explanatory Scientific and Technical Dictionary of Computer Information Technologies and Radioelectronics, in 9 volumes, Kochergin V.I., 2016 - The book is a significant extension of the author's five-volume dictionary (Kochergin V.I. dictionary of computer information technologies and radio electronics. ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- Comprehensive English-Russian explanatory scientific and technical dictionary of computer information technologies and radio electronics, in 5 volumes, Kochergin V.I., 2015 - The book is an extension of the author's three-volume dictionary (Kochergin V.I. and information technologies: - Tomsk. 2015 ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- English-Russian explanatory scientific and technical dictionary on modern cryptology, Kochergin V.I., 2010 - Contains 12 thousand of the most common terms in modern cryptology. The dictionary also includes general scientific terms. The dictionary is intended for professionals engaged in ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
- English-Russian explanatory scientific and technical dictionary on system analysis, programming, electronics and electric drive, in 2 volumes, Kochergin V.I., 2008 - Contains 25 thousand of the most common terms on system analysis, programming, electronics and electric drive. The dictionary also includes general scientific terms. In ... English-Russian, Russian-English dictionaries
Today, many healthcare workers are learning medical English: some want to intern or work abroad, others dream of going to international conferences, and others are the first to read publications about discoveries in medicine. Whatever the goal, you need to take steps to achieve it, and we want to help you with this. In the article we will present you short dictionary medical terms in English, phrases for communicating with the patient, and a list of 42 of the best resources for learning English for healthcare professionals.
Concise Medical English Dictionary
Of course, in this article we will not be able to put all medical terms in English, but nevertheless we decided to give you the basic concepts. Looking to significantly increase your vocabulary on this topic? In the third part of our article, we will tell you what tutorials and sites will help you do this. For now, let's get acquainted with the basic terminology.
We will start with the names of the different types of hospitals, as well as the premises that may be located in them.
| Word / Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| a hospital | a large hospital, which has a hospital, that is, patients are in it |
| an infirmary / ɪnˈfɜː (r) məri / | a health center, for example, at a school or university |
| a clinic | a small clinic without a hospital, often referred to as small private clinics |
| a care home | a nursing home - an institution that cares for those who are unable to take care of themselves |
| a day center | a center for the elderly and disabled, which provides assistance only during the daytime |
| an asylum / əˈsaɪləm /, a psychiatric hospital | mental hospital |
| a halfway house | a rehabilitation center for those who have been in a psychiatric clinic or prison for a long time and are now adapting to everyday life |
| a hospice / ˈhɒspɪs / | hospice |
| a sanatorium | sanatorium |
| a unit | department (in hospital) |
| a ward / wɔː (r) d /, a sickroom | Ward |
| a consulting room | the doctor's office in which he examines the patient |
| a surgery (BrE) a doctor's office (AmE) | doctor's office |
| A&E (accident and emergency department), casualty (BrE) ER (emergency room) (AmE) | emergency department |
| an ICU / ˌaɪ siː ˈjuː / (intensive care unit) | intensive care unit |
| a high dependency unit | intensive care unit |
| an operating theater / room; surgery | operating room |
| a delivery room | delivery room |
| a dispensary | medication dispensing room |
| a maternity ward | maternity ward for pregnant women and childbirth |
| a nursery | ward where newborns lie |
| a day room | a common recreation room in the hospital where patients can read, watch TV, communicate, etc. |
Now let's move on to the hospital staff. Let's explore the specialties of the doctors who work there. This will not be difficult to do, since English words are very similar to Russian ones.
Let's move on to the names of the fields of medicine, they also practically coincide with Russian terms.
| Word / Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| anesthesiology /æn.əsˌθiː.ziˈɒl.ə.dʒi/ | anesthesiology |
| cardiology | cardiology |
| dentistry | dentistry |
| dermatology | dermatology |
| emergency / ɪˈmɜː (r) dʒ (ə) nsi / | urgent care |
| endocrinology | endocrinology |
| gastroenterology | gastroenterology |
| gynecology | gynecology |
| internal medicine, general practice | therapy |
| nephrology /nɪˈfrɒl.ə.dʒi/ | nephrology |
| obstetrics / əbˈstetrɪks / | obstetrics |
| oncology | oncology |
| ophthalmology /ˌɒf.θælˈmɒl.ə.dʒi/ | ophthalmology |
| orthodontics /ˌɔː.θəˈdɒn.tɪks/ | orthodontics |
| orthopedics / orthopedics | orthopedics |
| otolaryngology, otorhinolaryngology /ˌƏʊ.təʊ.raɪ.nəʊ.lær.ɪŋˈɡɒl.ə.dʒi/ | otolaryngology, otorhinolaryngology |
| palliative medicine | palliative medicine |
| pediatrics | pediatrics |
| psychiatry / saɪˈkaɪətri / | psychiatry |
| rheumatology / ˌruːməˈtɒlədʒi / | rheumatology |
| surgery | surgery |
| urology | urology |
You will find even more names of specialties and fields of medicine in English on this page.
In addition to doctors, other medical workers do a lot of work in the hospital for us. Abroad they are called differently, let's look at the most commonly used terms.
| Word / Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| a charge nurse | a nurse who works in a hospital and cares for patients |
| a district nurse | patronage nurse (helping people at home) |
| a midwife | midwife |
| a nurse practitioner | a nurse who has the right to conduct independent practice, that is, to treat simple diseases (almost similar to our paramedic) |
| an attendant | nurse |
| a care assistant, a care worker (BrE) | a person who cares for the elderly or people with serious illnesses in institutions |
| a carer (BrE) a caregiver, a caretaker (AmE) | a person who works with people who are unable to take care of themselves |
Be sure to read our article "". In it you will find the names of diseases and their symptoms, as well as medicines in English.
Phrases for communicating with the patient in English
Now that we have replenished your vocabulary, let's learn some basic phrases that you might find useful when communicating with a patient. Here again, we are listing only a small set of common phrases, and the tutorials and resources, which we will tell you about a little later, will help to delve deeper into this topic.
So, to interview a patient, you can use the following phrases:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| How are you feeling today? | How are you feeling today? |
| How long have you been feeling like this? | How long have you been feeling this way? |
| Can you tell me what the problem is? | Please tell me what you are complaining about? |
| Have you got any other symptoms? | Do you have any other symptoms? |
| When did you notice the symptoms? When did the symptoms start? | When did you notice the symptoms? When did the symptoms first appear? |
| When do you have the symptoms? | When do you get symptoms? |
| How long did the symptoms last? For how long have you been feeling ill? | How long did the symptoms last? How long have you been sick? |
| Do you have any problems walking / breathing? | Do you have any walking / breathing problems? |
| Do you have any pain when you breathe in? | Do you feel pain when you breathe in? |
| Is this the first time this has happened? | Is this the first time with you? |
| How long have you had the cough? | How long have you had a cough? |
| What have you eaten / drunk? | What did you eat / drink? |
| Have you taken your temperature? | Have you measured your temperature? |
| Did you take any medicine? | Have you taken any medications? |
| Does anything make your pain worse / better? | Does something make the pain worse / easier? |
| What is your hearing / appetite like? | How is your hearing / appetite? |
| Is your sight normal? | Do you have normal vision? |
| Is your weight steady? | Are you weight stable? |
| Do you smoke? | Do you smoke? |
| What infectious diseases have you had? | What infectious diseases did you suffer from? |
When examining a patient, the following phrases may be useful to you:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Where does it hurt? / Where’s the pain? Show me where it hurts. | Where does it hurt? Show me where it hurts. |
| Can you describe the pain? | Can you describe the pain? |
| When does it start? | When did it start? |
| How long does it last? | How long has it been going on? |
| Can I have a look? | May I take a look? |
| Could you just lie on the couch? | Can you lie down on the couch? |
| Does it hurt when I press here? | Does it hurt when I click here? |
| Could you roll up your sleeve? | Could you please roll up your sleeve? |
| I'm going to take your blood pressure / temperature / pulse. | I'm going to measure your blood pressure / temperature / pulse. |
| Your blood pressure is low / normal / rather high / very high. | Your blood pressure is low / normal / quite high / very high. |
| Your temperature is normal / a little high / very high. | Your temperature is normal / high / very high. |
You can ask the patient to do the following:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| take a deep breath | take a deep breath |
| breathe in | take a breath |
| breathe out | breathe out |
| don’t breathe | don't breathe |
| open your mouth | open your mouth |
| close your eyes | close your eyes |
| lie down over here | lie down here |
| lie on your back / side | lie on your back / side |
| look straight ahead | look straight |
| stand up | stand up |
| slip off your shirt | take off your shirt |
| take your clothes off | undress |
If you need to carry out any manipulations with the patient or send him for additional examination, you can use the following phrases:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| You need to have a blood test. | You need to have a blood test. |
| We need to take a blood / urine sample. | We need a blood / urine test. |
| I want you to see a specialist. | I want you to see a specialist. |
| You need a few stitches. | You need to get stitches. |
| I want to send you for an X-ray. | I want to send you for an x-ray. |
| I want to send you for an ultrasound. | I want to send you for an ultrasound scan. |
| I'm going to give you an injection. | I'm going to give you an injection. |
| I'm going to prescribe you some antibiotics. | I will prescribe antibiotics for you. |
| You've got to be vaccinated against the flu. | You need to get a flu shot. |
At the end of the appointment, you can communicate the diagnosis and recommendations using the following phrases:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| You’re suffering from ... = You have ... | You... |
| You should try to give up smoking. | You should try to quit smoking. |
| You need to try and lose some weight. | You need to try to lose weight. |
| You need to rest and you shouldn’t worry. | You need to rest and you shouldn't worry. |
| I'll give you a prescription. Take this medicine two times a day / before meals / an hour after meal. | I'll give you a recipe. Take this medication twice daily / before meals / one hour after meals. |
| I'd like to keep you here overnight for observation. | I would like to leave you here (in the hospital) for observation. |
| You’ll have to stay in hospital for two weeks. | You will have to stay in the hospital for two weeks. |
| Do you have any questions? | Do you have any questions? |
| If you aren’t feeling better in 5 to 7 days, you must come back and see me again. | If you do not feel better in 5-7 days, you should come to me again. |
And to inform relatives about the patient's condition, you can use one of the following phrases:
Our vocabulary and phrases are not enough for you? Then we move on to the most important part of our article, in which we will talk about useful resources for learning medical English.
36 & 6 Resources for Learning Medical English
English textbooks for medical professionals
We want to start with medical English textbooks. There are a lot of them, both Russian and foreign authors. We always recommend that you use authentic manuals to get the most up-to-date information. If you are a healthcare professional, we suggest you choose one of the following textbooks:
- Common terminology for everyone: Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide, Medical Terminology Simplified: A Programmed Learning Approach by Body System, Medical Terminology: A Short Course, Check Your English Vocabulary for Medicine.
- For doctors: Professional English in Use Medicine, Career Paths: Medical.
- For nurses: Career Paths: Nursing, English for Nursing (1, 2).
- For pharmacists: English for the Pharmaceutical Industry.
Medical English Dictionaries
note: we have provided only English-English dictionaries, in which the term and explanation are not translated into Russian. If it is still difficult for you to perceive such information, you can translate incomprehensible words in the Multitran dictionaries or
Educational videos in English for doctors
Videos are a great source of new words and phrases that are easier to remember thanks to the image. We invite you to pay attention to the following video resources:
- Virginia allum- a selection of videos for doctors and nurses on how to talk to a patient, take care of him, etc. With these videos you will learn many useful phrases in English. is an excellent online journal for healthcare professionals: the information is presented quite in simple words... There are also funny comics, e-books, and videos of medical topics.
Professional development sites
As you can imagine, the Internet can not only entertain, but also educate. And the best solution for professional development will be special training platforms. We invite you to pay attention to the following sites:
- futurelearn.com - Medical courses in English, many of which are free. It is possible to obtain a certificate of completion of the course for a fee.
- ru.coursera.org - a large selection of courses related to medicine. Some of them are paid, but usually you only need to pay for the certificate. The courses are conducted by world renowned foreign universities.
note: almost all training platforms provide the opportunity to obtain a certificate from the university conducting the training. These certifications are valued by employers, so you can use them to advance your career or look for work abroad.
In the article "" we talked about the most famous sites offering online education in English.
Medical Communities for Communication in English
- forums.studentdoctor.net - A forum created to communicate and educate medical students. However, experienced doctors communicate here and give consultations, so we advise you to look here and do not hesitate to communicate. And in the section Things I Learn From My Patients you can enjoy real medical humor :-)
- sermo.com is a community for exchange of experience, communication, support of doctors from any corner of the world.
TV series in English for doctors
We know that many healthcare professionals are very skeptical about TV shows and films about medical professionals. But in the name of the science of learning English, you should still disregard these beliefs and watch helpful videos. How are they useful? Actors use medical terms in English in their speech, conduct dialogues with patients, etc. - all this can be learned from them. We recommend the following series to doctors:
- ER ("Ambulance")
- Scrubs ("Clinic")
- House, M. D. ("House Doctor")
- Nip / Tuck ("Body Parts")
- Chicago Med
- Grey’s Anatomy
You now have everything you need to be productive in your medical English. If you find it difficult to do it yourself and you want to get the help of an experienced mentor, we invite you to our school. Our experienced teachers will help you master the topics you need, on time.
We have compiled a document for you, which contains all the words and phrases on this topic. You can download it from the link below.