"The main propose of this course is to elevate your English ability, especially speaking. We are going to train you to think in English. Because in your future life as a doctor, the language that you use the most will be English." Said one of our Medical English professors.
Doctors in Taiwan need to speak at least 3 languages: Chinese(Mandarin), Taiwanese, and English. The former two languages are essential when communicating with patients, since that many people still understand only Taiwanese here. The latter one-English-is necessary because almost all the medical knowledge we have access to is in English. That's why we medical students in Taiwan have to take Medical English apart from English: we need to learn to discuss medical matters in English. To be frankly, it is quite a challenge for me, due to the fact that I get extremely nervous every time I have to say something important, whether in English or Chinese.
On the first 4 weeks of this course, we are going to talk about medical ethics. Tomorrow our group will give a presentation about patient preference-the autonomy of patient. We decide to perform several short dramas, ask our classmates some questions about the drama, then introduce some relevant context of The Declaration of Lisbon to them. (The declaration's full name is "The Declaration of Lisbon on The Right of The Patient")
Because we are afraid that it's hard for others to realize the meaning of the context if we simply read it, we decide that each one of us are to give a simple explanation of each paragraph of the context. My parts are as the followings, hope that I didn't get it wrong...
Exceptionally, information may be withheld from the patient when there is good reason to believe that this information would create a serious hazard to his/her life or death.
"For example, if we find out that a patient with depression has cancer, we should be very careful on telling him/her the truth, because of his/her unstable emotion."
If a patient is a minor or otherwise legally incompetent the consent of a legally entitled representative, where legally relevant, is required. Nevertheless the patient must be involved in the decision making to the fullest extent allowed by his/her capacity.
"In the situation we just showed you, although the patient is paralyzed, she still has the ability to express herself. So the doctor let her decide for herself and respect her wish to receive treatment."
The patient has the right to ask for the opinion of another physician at any stage.
"In the case we just performed, the patient's husband does have the right to seek for other doctor's advice. This kind of opinion is called "second opinion"."
The patient has the right to self-determination, to make free decisions regarding himself/herself. The physician will inform the patient of the consequences of his/her decisions.
"That is to say, the patient has the right to decide whether he wants to receive treatment, or which kind of treatment that he wants to receive. And the doctor should also tell him what the results of his choices will be."
Hope that I can do a good job on tomorrow-oh no it's already "today"!-today's class.
Labels: Medical English
Good luck, and welcome to the English blogosphere!
Michael
Michael Turton said...
March 13, 2007 at 9:53 AM
Well,I don't think I can write an artical better than this.I am so proud of you!!
Good luck,and just relax when you give a speech.You are such an outstanding and cute girl!Believe yourself.
Love
C.U.T(好久沒練英文了，有錯不要笑我!=ˇ= 郁婷)
Anonymous said...
March 16, 2007 at 12:09 AM