Teaching Resources

 

Warm up

The game can be used as a warm-up exercise. The students pair up and discuss personal topics (name, motivation, previous encounters with the language, plans for the future, hobbies…) for 5 min. Each student then briefly introduces his/her partner to the group. (15 min)

Who am I?

The game can be used as a warm-up exercise. Small cards with medical vocabulary ("disinfectant", "stethoscope", "Infection") are distributed face down. The students and tutors pin the cards on their forehead. The goal is to find out what is written on the card by asking questions. (10-15 min)

Beautiful Anatomy

The group is divided into two equal groups. Two large papers are spread on the floor. The groups are given markers and cards. The goal is to draw a body shape and body parts / internal organs and to write the names corresponding to the anatomical structures on the cards, placing them next to the shape. The tutors help by making suggestions and correcting spelling mistakes. At the end the two papers are pinned to a board and each group explains their picture.

Beautiful Anatomy II

The sheets and cards can be used as a warm-up exercise the next day: each student arriving has to pin 3 cards on the picture.

Postcard Game

During breakfast postcards are passed around the table. Each student may choose a postcard, describe it and explain his/her choice to the group. (15 min)

Taking a Medical History

The students pair up in groups of two. Cards with different topics related to the medical history of a patient (general information, symptoms related to cardiology/pneumonology, to neurology, to gastrointestinal system / vegetative symptoms, symptoms related to gynaecology & sexuality, orientation & mental state, past medical history) are shuffled, and one is given to each pair. The students are also provided with flipchart paper and markers. The pairs write down sentences they would ask the patient on the papers. The papers are pinned up, presented by the different pairs and discussed / completed in a group. (45 min, usually a 5 min break before correction)

Taking a Medical History – Group Exercise

Two Versions:

• The two tutors demonstrate a patient / physician interaction. (Tutor 1: patient, Tutor 2: physician) (10 min)
• Role-playing: One of the tutors plays a patient, the group acts as physician; the second tutor coordinates the questioning. (20 min)

Taking a Medical History – Individual Exercise

• 3 hired actors / 12 students
• Generally during the second weekend (3 cases on Friday, 3 cases on Saturday)
• Rotation (3 students at a time)

In order to improve and train the taking of a medical history, the students have the opportunity to experience 6 patient / physician encounters. The goal of this exercise is for each student to take a complete medical history using the vocabulary and expressions learned during the first weekend.
The patients are played by hired actors; the 6 cases are prepared by the tutors.
The students take the medical histories in separate rooms, while the rest of the group continues with group exercises. Each student has 10 minutes in order to take the medical history of the patient for each of the cases (a total of 60 min). If the student wishes, he can ask the pretend patient for individual feedback (2 min).
At the end of each day the group gathers with the pretend patients. Three volunteers present the cases to the group. The group may then complete missing or false information, thus resolving the case. Finally, each simulating patient sums the main points of his/her role. The gathering ends with a Feedback. (10 min / case + 10 min discussion / Feedback)

Physical Examination

Same procedure as for the exercise "taking a medical history" (45 min, usually a 5 min break before correction)

Commands

The chairs are set in a half circle facing the pinned up sheets from the exercise "physical examination". Each student takes turns issuing a command ("Please close your eyes stretch your left arm to the left and put your left forefinger on the tip of your nose.") the group then has to perform accordingly. (20 min)

Tabou Game

Material: Cards, Buzzer, Timer, Score pad.
The group is divided into two teams. Medical vocabulary such as "stethoscope" is written on each card. One tutor is affected to the timer and writes down the scores, the other Tutor moderates the game. Teams take turns appointing clue-givers and guessing words until all cards have been played. Each clue-giver has 1 min in order to describe the word his/her teammates have to guess. If the word has been guessed within the time limit a second card may be drawn from the stake and so on. If a group guesses a word, it is awarded a point. The aim is to score the most points by making the own team guess the most words.
Three levels:
· Level one: the cards consist of pictures; the time limit is set at 1, 5 min
· Level two: words are written on the card, if the vocabulary is unknown, the student may ask for the tutors help (time loss)
· Level three: the student is not allowed to ask for the tutors help. Each discarded card results in a minus point.

Picture Cards

Picture cards come in pairs: one with drawing representing the object/person and the other one with the corresponding written word. Additionally to the word depicted, related vocabulary is written beneath the main term. They can be used for several games:

"Picture warm-up exercise" (mainly during breakfast)

Each student draws 1 or 2 picture cards and describes the shape, colours, objects, expressions on the cards as best as he can (15 min)

"Matchmaking"

All the cards are spread on a table, all students gather around and try to pick 3 picture cards and the 3 corresponding vocabulary cards. The group then gathers in a circle and each student explains the pictures using the vocabulary (sentences!). The game can be modified by randomly distributing 3 vocabulary cards to each participant and spread-ing the picture cards on the table, and the goal for each participant is then to find the cards matching his own. (the other way around is also possible) (15 min)

"Once upon a time..." (Two levels)

Level one: The participants sit in circle around an empty space. Each student draws 3 picture cards with the corresponding vocabulary cards. The tutor begins a story set in a medical field. For example "Just yesterday, I was passing by the emergency room, and I saw something incredible: indeed the nurse from the 2nd floor got married with the new cardiologist this summer, and she was clinging to his scrubs and playing with his stethoscope, obviously ignoring that white faced patient in the corner of the waiting room..." When a student has a card, which would fit into the story, he stands up, shows it to the others and continues the story for three full sentences. For the previous example, if the card used depicted a bandage, the story could continue with "He seemed to have suffered of blood-loss, because even now, his bandages were soaked in blood. Luckily, a medical student passing by noticed him, and asked if he was in pain. The patient nodded, visibly at discomfort, and gave him a weak smile". Once the 3 sentences have been told, the card can be thrown into the middle of the circle. The goal is to get rid of all the cards. (30 min)
Level two: Same procedure, but the students are not allowed the vocabulary cards. (30 min)

Emergency Play

A puppet is put on the floor in the corridor. One of the tutors calls for help and appoints one of the students as "medical student", two others as "friends of the victim". Goal is the correct instruction of the "friends" and the correct emergency call, as well as the use of vocabulary related to a semi-automatic defibrillator. (15 min)

What should I put in my Bag?

A box containing equipment/instruments frequently encountered in hospitals (gloves, a tourniquet, a cotton swab, intubation material, a semi-automatic defibrillator, bandages…) is emptied and the empty box put beside it. The students take turns in getting up and putting one of the objects in the bag, while naming it aloud. Additionally to the object put in, the student has to repeat all of the names of the objects already in the box, thus repeating the vocabulary already used by the previous students. (20 min)

Abbreviations

Cards with different abbreviations written on them are distributed to the students. The students take turns figuring out the meaning of the abbreviation. The group can also discuss the meaning. (15 min)
For preparation of the game see abbreviations sections on the different language pages.

Our Hospital

A sheet of paper (1x2m) is spread on the floor. Using markers, the students draw a map of a health care institution, writing the name of the wards and other facilities found in a hospital. (20 min)

CV and Application Letter Training

The students gather around a flip chart. The goal of the exercise is to write an application letter for an internship in the medical field. One of the tutors is in charge of writing, the other of moderating the group. At the end of the exercise an example of a CV and a letter of application is distributed to the students. (preferably in a small group of 9-10 Students)

Vocabulary marathon

The tutor writes a word on the board and the students have 5 minutes to the think of all the words they can that have to do with the word the tutor chose (eg. if 'liver' was the chosen word students would write down things like: 'detoxification', 'enzymes', 'cirrhosis' etc). The student with the most unique words wins.

"Once upon a time..."

The participants sit in circle around an empty space. Each student writes down three words, each word on a card. The tutor begins a story set in a medical field. For example "Just yesterday, I was passing by the emergency room, and I saw something incredible: indeed the nurse from the 2nd floor got married to the new Cardiologist this summer, and she was clinging to his scrubs and playing with his stethoscope, obviously ignoring that white faced patient in the corner of the waiting room..." When a student has a card, which would fit into the story, he stands up, shows it to the others and continues the story for three full sentences. For the previous example, if the card used depicted a bandage, the story could continue with "He seemed to have suffered of blood-loss, because even now, his bandages were soaked in blood. Luckily, a medical student passing by noticed him, and asked if he was in pain. The patient nodded, visibly in discomfort, and gave him a weak smile". Once the 3 sentences have been told, the card can be thrown into the middle of the circle. The goal is to get rid of all the cards.

 

 

 

Collection of anatomy charts without vocabulary

Set of games

Pictures cards of material

Vocabulary cards (to be printed onto the back of the picture cards to get a "Memory" game). Click on flag

English for Medics - Patient communication and role play samples: Greetings and instructions Starting the consultation General Skills & Language I Exploring the problem from the patient's perspective Exploring the problem from the doctor's perspective General Skills & Language II (extract from former TellRight project)

Signs, guide boards and door plates in a German hospital   Signs, guide boards and door plates in a French hospital

 

 

 

 

Neurology

Alzheimer's Disease
Parkinson's Disease
Meningitis
Cerebral Tumor

Other Disciplines

GI / Liver
Respiratory System

 

 

 

This is the course structure used in the intensive courses at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin (two weekends, 4 days, 4 hours each). The material for the course can be found in the "Games" and "Material" tabs of this section. The booklets can be compiled from the material and vocabulary tables on this website.

Part 1 - Day 1

Welcome and introduction to the course instructors

• Student introductions (In groups of two, students interview and then introduce each other (name, age, place of birth, why do you live in [Berlin], why [Language], hobbies, interest in which medical specialties?) 10 min
• Expectations for the course: Students are quickly asked what their expectations are of the course, going around in a circle – (this is to tailor the course to meet any special medical interests, eg. when lots of students are interested in surgery go through the names of the surgical equipment). 5 min
• Introduction to course contents and handing out of course materials
  Materials: Photocopied and bound script, other media (English for example: BBC article about Doctor's slang as an ice-breaker and something a little interesting to read later on in the day/in the break: news.bbc.co.uk

"Beautiful Anatomy"

• Class is divided into two groups. The outline of one person is traced and one group is responsible for drawing and labeling all of the internal organs, the other one is responsible for the body parts on the outside. Drawings are pinned up and presented to the other group. 30 min
  

Taking a medical history I

• Brainstorming: students divide up into groups corresponding to those in the medical history: chief complaint (CC), history of the present illness (HOPI), pain, vegetative ROS (Review of Symptoms) questions, PMH (past medical history) allergies/medications/hospitalizations, PMH social history/family history and make small cards with questions for their area.
• Each group presents their "taking a medical history questions" and pins the cards on a pin board as a reference for the rest of the day. (30 min)
• Other students then make corrections and discuss. (15 min)

Break (10 min)

Taking a medical history II

One tutor plays a patient with an imaginary medical condition integrating all fields, the other is in charge of organizing the questions. The group has to find out the diagnosis by asking questions (going around in a circle) (20 min)

Acronyms & Abbreviations

Materials: Handout to take home. Each day one column is reviewed and read out aloud with the class – then the 'Acronym game' is played.
The group is divided into 2. The two groups lines up in front of the table: the acronyms are written on cards. The two students from each team at the front of the line have to guess what the abbreviation stands for as quickly as possible as soon as the card is turned over. Whoever knows it (or thinks they know it) grabs the ball in the middle of the table and says the full medical term (15 min)

What should I put in my Bag?"

We have a bag full of medical equipment (including a stethoscope, bandages, syringe, needles etc.) and this is passed around in a circle. Each student takes one item out of the bag and says, 'I am packing my medical and am taking..… with me'. The students repeat the items from the other students first and then say theirs. (20 min)

Written clinical case:

Case 1 – Patient with brain metastases after breast cancer. Each student gets a copy of the case and reads 2 sentences (going around in a circle). Aim is to practice and learn the abbreviations in written cases and expand vocabulary (15 min).

Breakfast planning (10 min)
Feedback (positive/negative points? Special interests?) (10 min)

Part 1 - Day 2

Breakfast (30 min)

Small game: "who am I?'

One student is chosen. The other students think of a body part/person who works in a hospital/an illness and the chosen student has to stick this card on his forehead without looking. The chosen student has to ask questions in order to find out what he/she is.

"What should I put in my bag?"

Revision (20 min)

"Taking a medical history"

Revision

Group interview

The class is divided into two groups, each group has a separate room. Questions are asked going around in a circle, diagnosis should be made and then students find a partner from the other group and present the cases to each other (30 min)

Physical examination exercise

• Brainstorming: specific questions asked during a physical examination (same procedure as for "taking a medical history", division in body parts) (20 min)

Break (10 min)

• In their groups of 3 students present their area to the class in the form of a presentation: anamnesis and physical examination (patient, doctor and writer), during the presentation the writer pins questions to the board. (8 min each = 50 min)

Acronyms & Abbreviations game

See above (20 min)

Break (10 min)

Ball game to review physical examination commands

The thrower gives the command, the catcher obeys. (20 min)

"Once upon a time..."

The participants sit in circle around an empty space. Each student writes down three words, each word on a card. The tutor begins a story set in a medical field. For example "Just yesterday, I was passing by the emergency room, and I saw something incredible: indeed the nurse from the 2nd floor got married to the new Cardiologist this summer, and she was clinging to his scrubs and playing with his stethoscope, obviously ignoring that white faced patient in the corner of the waiting room..." When a student has a card, which would fit into the story, he stands up, shows it to the others and continues the story for three full sentences. For the previous example, if the card used depicted a bandage, the story could continue with "He seemed to have suffered of blood-loss, because even now, his bandages were soaked in blood. Luckily, a medical student passing by noticed him, and asked if he was in pain. The patient nodded, visibly in discomfort, and gave him a weak smile". Once the 3 sentences have been told, the card can be thrown into the middle of the circle. The goal is to get rid of all the cards. (30 min)

Written clinical case

Case 2 (15 min) - Anaphylaxis

Acronym game

(15 min)

Feedback
Overview for the next weekend

Part 2 (with simulation patients) - Day 1

• Introduction to SP and explanation of procedures: each student has 30 min in order to take the medical history of 3 simulation patients with different clinical cases.
• Review of the "taking a medical history" exercise
• Medical group-interview (1 tutor plays imaginary medical problem) – one question per student, going around in a circle (30 min)
• During the individual "taking of a medical history" exercises with SP, various games that are easy to catch up on when people are coming and going are played, for example
  
  • Presentation: overview Healthcare system in England/America (10 min)
  • Presentation: hospital personnel (pin all words up on small cards so the people who were with the SPs can catch up)
  • Presentation: common vocabulary for common diseases/illnesses (example: What Chickenpox is called in german, how to name a blood pressure cuff etc.) (15 min)
  • Specific vocabulary for gynaecological/urological examinations
  • Qualities of pain
  • Surgical instruments (picture cards and pictures on laptop)
    
  • "Emergency Play" (15 min)
  • Abbreviations (15 min)
  • "Draw a Hospital" (15 min)
• At the end of the time with the SPs: presentation discussion of the cases, and feedback from BOTH sides, what the students did well/not so well etc.
• Written clinical case: Case 3 (15 min) – Rhabdomyolysis
• Acronym game (15 min)

Part 2 (with simulation patients) - Day 2

• Breakfast with native speakers (simulation patients are invited)
  (alternative: Episode of Emergency room with questions and discussion, small games…)
• Like on Day 1, each student has 30 min in order to take the medical history of 3 would-be patients with different clinical cases. During the individual "taking of a medical history" exercises with SP, various games that are easy to catch up on when people are coming and going are played. (2 hours)
• Vocabulary marathon (10 min) – tutor writes a word on the board and the students have 5 minutes to the think of all the words they can that have to do with the word the tutor chose (eg. if 'liver' was the chosen word students would write down things like: 'detoxification', 'enzymes', 'cirrhosis' etc). The student with the most unique words wins.
• PCR (Patient Care Report) examples (15 min)
• Memory: each students writes down 5 words in German and English. All cards are turned over and mixed, the aim is to find the corresponding German and English word.
• CV and Application Letter Training (preferably in a small group of 9-10 Students) (20 min)
  
• Written clinical case: Case 4 (15 min)
• Acronym game (15 min)
• Feedback (15 min)
• Evaluations and certificates (10 min)

download course structure as .pdf

 

A group of students from Universitat Rovira i Virgili produced some videos to show how doctor-patient conversations could be trained:

• Introduction and Spanish conversation (English subtitles)
• Conversation in English
• Conversation in French
• Conversation in Catalan (English subtitles)
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Videos

• Students going on ERASMUS
• Do you know MedineLingua?
• Who may need MedineLingua? 
• A student discovers MedineLingua