Learning medicine in English (or “medical English”) can be challenging. Here are some tips on what to do to improve your English, and the mistakes you should avoid.
Learning medical English goes far beyond memorizing technical terms. It requires real comprehension, practical fluency, and the confidence to read articles, answer USMLE questions, and communicate with patients, preceptors, and the entire healthcare team. But many physicians end up making mistakes that slow down their learning process and the improvement of the English they need to function in a medical or hospital environment. Here are some common mistakes — and how to avoid them:
1. Focusing only on technical vocabulary
Of course, you need to know what myocardial infarction, thyroid storm, CAD (Coronary Artery Disease), CABG (Coronary Artery Bypass Graft), and HEENT (Head, Ears, Eyes, Nose, Throat) mean — but ignoring everyday “clinical English” can hurt you. Terms like follow-up, work-up, ruled out, and complains of appear constantly and are part of communication with both the team and patients.
Solution: Study English with clinical cases and interact with people who have experience in English-speaking clinical settings.
2. Translating everything mentally
Thinking in your native language and depending on constant mental translation slows down your reasoning and prevents you from thinking directly in English. This becomes a problem especially in timed exams like the USMLE.
Solution: Practice reading and active listening in English without relying on Portuguese the whole time. Try formulating your reasoning in English.
3. Studying passively
Just watching video lectures or reading texts does not guarantee knowledge retention (we’ve talked about study methods here). You need active practice. Using flashcards with spaced repetition (such as Anki), repeating aloud what you hear, and trying to explain in your own words what you just learned are active study methods that will help improve both your English and your medical knowledge.
4. Ignoring pronunciation
You might write well, but if you can’t understand others — or aren’t understood — you’ll face difficulties during interviews, rotations, residency, or fellowship. And remember: pronunciation is different from accent! We’re not saying you need to sound like a native speaker. But the way you pronounce words directly impacts your communication.
Solution: Set aside time to listen carefully to medical English and practice speaking out loud.
5. Studying without a strategy
Doing a bit of everything, with no consistency and no focus on your weak points, only leads to frustration and won’t take you far.
Solution: Create a weekly plan with specific goals, periodic review sessions, and realistic focus on your daily context. When, how, and where can you realistically fit English practice into your routine?
6. Not training your listening with different accents
Many students get used only to standard American English from didactic videos. But in real clinical practice — and in oral exams — you’ll meet doctors and patients from different nationalities and with different accents. Lack of exposure can lead to confusion and difficulty understanding and communicating.
Solution: Diversify your listening sources — watch interviews, medical podcasts, movies, simulations, and any materials you can find that expose you to English spoken with different accents.
Learning medical English requires more than studying “whenever you can.” With the right methods, awareness of common mistakes, and consistent practice, your progress can be much faster and far more efficient. Your English can (and should) be a bridge — not a barrier — on your international medical career.
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