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Learn essential language used by medical professionals.

Descriptors

1. Introduction

Review and practise useful language used in the medical profession.

2. Taking a medical history

Practise taking a medical history, and summarising a chief complaint.

Speaking Tutorial 1

3. Diagnostic hypotheses and studies

Review diagnostic test vocabulary, then practise writing a diagnosis and diagnostic study request.

Writing Tutorial 1

4. Giving the patient information

Study strategies and language for giving patients and medical staff information, and for giving bad news to a patient.

Speaking Tutorial 2

5. Documenting findings

Practise reading reports and articles, scientific vocabulary, and writing a case study.

Writing Tutorial 2

6. Medical presentations

Watch, analyse and practise a short medical presentation.

Language review

The Language review is a summary of the vocabulary, grammar and useful phrases you have studied.

Final test

Check what you have learnt.

Feedback

Send us your feedback on this module.

Wordlist

minute

minute (adj)

extremely small

aged

aged (adj)

matured

bedside

bedside (n)

area at the side of a bed

blister

blister (n)

a painful swelling on the skin that contains fluid

cheek

cheek (n)

the soft part of the face between the mouth and ear

clench

clench (v)

to close your hand tightly

cloves

cloves (n)

the sections or segments of a garlic bulb

compelling

compelling (adj)

forceful

crushed

crushed (adj)

squashed and broken by pressing

deeply

deeply (adv)

profoundly

dose

dose (n)

a specific quantity of a drug

forearm

forearm (n)

part of the arm between the wrist and elbow

gall_bladder

gall bladder (n)

a small organ connected to the liver that stores bile, a liquid to help digestion

gallstone

gallstone (n)

small piece of hard material that forms in the gall bladder

garlic-free

garlic-free (adj)

without garlic

itchy

itchy (adj)

when you feel that you need to scratch part of the body

jury

the jury is still out (exp)

a decision has not yet been reached

less-than-ideal

less-than-ideal (adj)

not as good as it should be

lip

lip (n)

the soft red edge of the mouth, we have two lips

maker

maker (n)

a manufacturer

mild

mild (adj)

not extreme or severe

pollen

pollen (n)

a powder produced by the male part of a flower

prick

prick (v)

to make a very small hole in the skin using a sharp instrument

puffy

puffy (adj)

full, slightly swollen

rash

rash (n)

an area of small red spots on the skin

redness

redness (n)

the quality of being the colour red

rule_out

rule out (v)

to exclude from consideration

runny

runny (adj)

when the nose produces more mucus than usual

scaling

scaling (n)

small flat hard pieces of skin, like the skin of a fish

seal

seal (n)

a marine mammal that comes out of the water to sleep on the ice or land

set_out

set out (v)

to begin a serious attempt

sham

sham (adj)

something false that is said to be real

shift

shift (n)

work hours during the day or night

side_effect

side effect (n)

a secondary effect, usually undesirable

split_into

split into (v)

divided into

swab

swab (n)

small piece of soft material for cleaning or taking a small sample of substance from part of the body

track

track (v)

to observe the process of

unclench

unclench (v)

to open your hand after clenching it

windpipe

windpipe (n)

tube that carries air from the throat to the lungs (trachea)