Question: I'm thinking of studying abroad in the UK for a short period of medical English, but I don't know what suits me.
Answer: There are several types of short-term study abroad, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.
TypeA :
Study abroad at a university / language school with which you belong
Strong Points:
1. 1. Universities, hospitals, etc. often take care of the procedures with the host, and many of them are held according to the timetable of the participants.
2. 2. Since the medical English program itself has already been approved by the school / university to which you belong, it is a program that is suitable for participants from the perspective of the university, and you may be able to earn credits by attending the course.
3. 3. It is safe for beginners traveling abroad because they often participate in groups such as schools and universities, and sometimes they are led.
Cons: Disadvantages:
1. 1. I often spend most of my Japanese class or most of my stay in the same Japanese group, and in order to improve my English, I actively find foreign students and local students from other countries and communicate in English. Is required.
2. 2. In many cases, tuition fees, airline ticket fees, etc. are already set as packages, and it is often not possible to keep costs down by arranging cheap airline tickets yourself.
3. 3. Since it is often a group activity, there are many cases where you do not have the freedom to stay in the field for a long time before and after studying abroad and go sightseeing.
4. Depending on the university, there may be conditions such as "only those with excellent grades can participate", and even if they want to participate, they may not be able to participate.
5. The program itself may be canceled if the minimum number of participants in the university is not reached.
TypeB :
Find a short-term study abroad program at an overseas university that suits you
Strong Points:
1. 1. The act of searching for various programs on English sites will dramatically improve your English proficiency and knowledge of studying abroad.
2. 2. If you can participate in a program with many international students of other nationalities, you will be able to improve your English surprisingly quickly. Also, even if Japanese people participate in the same program, it is often inspiring to participate from different schools / universities.
3. 3. Other than the tuition fee, you can also devise your own way to reduce the cost of studying abroad (eg, you can arrange a cheap flight ticket, you can select the day when the flight ticket is cheap by shifting the date and time of travel to the UK and return to Japan, meals are optional If you have one, you can choose to cook your own meals, and since there is no “dating” that is unique to friends from the same school, you can plan your own trips, etc.)
4. Some medical school specialized programs offer classes from well-known professors in the field, and active participation in such programs can broaden your knowledge and connections. (However, English requires native ability)
5. By actually going to the site, you can go directly to the desired university before and after the course to negotiate whether it is possible to accept subsequent clinical training and study abroad / research.
Cons: Disadvantages:
1. 1. Finding the best and safest program for you requires a certain level of English proficiency, and in addition, it takes a lot of time and effort to make all the arrangements up to the UK.
2. 2. Since the timing of each program has already been decided, it is necessary to adjust your own schedule.
3. 3. You must negotiate whether you will receive credit from the school for the programs you participate in.
Make sure to check in advance so that you don't regret saying "It shouldn't have been like this ..." after making a reservation!
Here are some things to keep in mind when looking for a UK medical English course on your own.
I want to find a cheap program
With some exceptions, many English language school teachers are freelancers who are hired from outside for a limited time only for specific programs, and cheaper programs are arguably medical English courses. Most of the English courses are taught by English teachers who are very inexperienced in teaching medical English, let alone knowledge of the medical field, using existing textbooks published for the purpose. I think it is better to check this point carefully so that there is no such thing as "This was the same as the medical English class I am studying at a Japanese university ...". The salaries of experienced English teachers with specialized knowledge are high, so the tuition fees for the course itself are naturally high.
Also, if you are looking for on-site activities at medical facilities such as hospitals, you need to pay a certain facility usage fee called "bench fee" toNHS (United Kingdom National Health Service), so it is a cheap course. Almost does not exist. Therefore, cheap programs may have more free time than other expensive programs, or may include activities with a lot of play elements (non-medical) called social events. However, if that is better, of course, there is no problem.
Keep in mind that when looking for a program, especially when signing up for a cheap program, you tend to be offered lessons that are worth the price you pay.
I want to find a regular program sponsored by a university
The "Medical English Program" held by many language schools is a " English education program centered on medical technical terms, with tours of medical institutions such as hospitals and sightseeing in the United Kingdom." is. However, in this case, you can choose a program from many programs according to your English proficiency.
The English required to participate in a medical program sponsored by the medical school of a national university in the United Kingdom (most of the universities with a medical school in the United Kingdom are national universities) is "native level". This is because many of its programs are aimed at British medical students, residents and doctors. On the university side as well, it seems that many of the participants in such programs do not mention English proficiency in the participation conditions because it is a major premise that they have "native level English proficiency". It is safer to check if it is not stated, without thinking that "English is okay for beginners because it is not written".
These are "medical training programs" because they are venues for research presentations by renowned university professors and seminars, but they are not "medical English programs (programs intended to improve medical English)". In addition, the content of the lectures is very high, and in addition, it is often held during the holidays of British universities, so it may not match the schedule of Japanese medical students. Participation fees are also quite high when using hospital facilities. However, if your budget and English proficiency allow, active participation in these programs may lead to future sponsorship and employment.
This is the only course sponsored by a British university, and it is the only course that " English ability is not required for Japanese medical students or participants who have graduated and currently belong to a medical institution", and it is held by a British university. Click here for details on the "Medical English Program at the University of Leicester," the cheapest 3-week medical English course in the medical summer program !