4.8 (144 reviews)

Develop your language and communication skills for a career in healthcare and learn new healthcare vocabulary in English.

English for Healthcare
  • Duration4 weeks
  • Weekly study3 hours
  • LearnFree
  • Digital upgradeFree
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Learn the language and vocabulary of healthcare professionals.

The language of healthcare can be complex. On this course, you will develop your English language skills and learn vocabulary for a career and study in healthcare.

You will learn healthcare terminology and how to communicate in different professional situations. You will practise your listening skills with recordings of healthcare professionals and test your knowledge by writing the answers to discussion questions.

Upon completion of this course, you will feel more confident using healthcare language and you will have explored what it’s like to use these language skills in a healthcare setting.

What topics will you cover?

  • Working and learning in the hospital
  • Experiences of patients
  • Symptoms and diagnoses
  • Taking notes and clear communication
  • Working in different healthcare contexts: Caring for patients in the home; Healthcare interventions in the community.
  • How to write reflectively

When would you like to start?

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more

  • Available now

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Apply language skills to a range of healthcare contexts and situations. For example: using adjectives to describe symptoms, using vocabulary related to problems/solutions and causes/effects
  • Interpret different genres typical of healthcare, including instructions, notes, reflective journals, registration forms
  • Explore new vocabulary and terminology relating to healthcare
  • Identify suitable communication modes for different professional situations, for example when giving instructions to patients
  • Reflect on your learning, and practice writing a reflective journal. Apply language skills to evaluate your experiences
  • Collect and record medical information by reading and listening for specific information

Who is the course for?

This course has been created for refugees, displaced people and the communities supporting them in the MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) region who wish to study a healthcare related course at a university in English.

It has been created as part of the PADILEIA project, and designed to provide additional support to students taking the Introduction to Nursing course.

We recommend learners have a minimum of CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) A2 to get the most from this course.

It will also be of interest to anyone looking to develop their English language and communication skills in a healthcare setting.

Supported by UK aid - Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education, Innovation and Reform

Who will you learn with?

Sophie Hauser

Sophie has worked as an English Language Teacher since 1992. She holds an MA in English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. She is currently an EAP tutor at King's College London.

Alison Robson

Alison has been teaching English since 1985 and holds a BA in English Literature and an MA in Applied Linguistics. For the past three years she has been teaching EAP at King's College, London.

Craig Davis

Craig has taught English at HE institutions in the UK and abroad. He holds an MA in Applied Linguistics, PgCert in ELT and FHEA. He currently teaches at King's College London.

Flordelis González

Flor has been teaching English since 2010 and holds an MA in Applied Linguistics/TESOL. She has taught English at King's College London, University of Northampton and Royal Hollloway.

Michael Odunyemi

Michael is a recent graduate from King's College London where he studied medicine. He is currently working as a doctor at Medway Hospital.

Who developed the course?

King's College London

King’s College London, established in 1829 and a founding college of the University of London, is one of the world’s leading research and teaching universities, based in the very heart of London.

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What's included?

King's College London are offering everyone who joins this course a free digital upgrade, so that you can experience the full benefits of studying online for free. This means that you get:

  • Unlimited access to this course
  • Includes any articles, videos, peer reviews and quizzes
  • A PDF Certificate of Achievement to prove your success when you’re eligible

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