English for Medicine English for Medicine and Law
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Completing the ME subject, it is aimed that the medical students are able to understand medical materials in English and how to properly communicate using
English in any medical situation required. According to Glendinning and Holmstrom 2005, ME is a subject which aims to develop the speaking and
listening skills primarily but attention is also given to the reading skill which particularly focus on the use of reference materials and journal articles, at the same
time, ME also challenges Medical students to write referral letters and completing a range of the medical documents of the patients. In addition, Glendinning and
Howard 2007 intensify that it is expected that students are capable of understanding and practicing ME which nowadays becomes the qualification
standard to support and improve the professional demands on such accomplished medical skills, so they can respond to global challenges by having their perspective
and knowledge about medicine in English enriched. There are some competencies learned in ME for Medical students of Batam
University which concentrate on the area of the doctor-patient communication from history taking to the treatment. The ME starts English which are needed for
consultations and continues with the examinations, but before coming to the examinations, the Medical students have to master the vocabularies related to
medical contexts like parts of body, heath and illness, signs and symptoms, as well as vocabularies related to medical instruments and hospital surroundings. The
following competence is the ability in history-taking of patients. In this stage, the medical students have to master the common abbreviations list used for medical
documentations, such as BP for blood pressure, NAD for nothing abnormal PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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detected, P for pulse, Hb for hemoglobin, T for temperature, HS for heart sound, and others.
The most dominant competence relies on the ability of students to discuss investigations and diagnoses patients. Fulfilling the preceding competencies stated
previously, at the end, Medical students have to be able to do investigations as well as diagnose the patient’ conditions. Here, the Medical students possibly apply some
strategies to ask the patient about hisher current health status , patient’s history, and
if it is needed, they ask the patient to lay down on the bed and do the physical checking, however, of course they have to speak in English. Finally, after
examining the patient, the medical treatment then take a place. It is also important for future doctors, nurse, midwives, as well as other medical personnel to be able
to give suggestions and solutions toward the patient’s condition, such as the simple thing about what to do and not to do in order to gain a healthy life of patients.