Medical English for OSCE: Speak the Language of Clinical Medicine

Data

Official data in SubjectManager for the following academic year: 2026-2027

Topic

This course aims to develop the clinical communication skills in English required for successful performance in OSCE settings. The course focuses on teaching the functional language, phrases, and communication strategies necessary to conduct clear, professional, and safe patient consultations in English.

Throughout the course, students learn how to open and structure clinical encounters, conduct effective and natural history-taking, express empathy, and maintain rapport with patients in English in simulated clinical situations. Particular emphasis is placed on explaining medical information in patient-friendly English, checking patient understanding, and communicating clearly under time pressure. Students also develop strategies for managing challenging communication scenarios in English, including interactions with anxious, distressed, or demanding patients.

Advanced consultation skills are introduced in the later stages of the course, including the use of signposting language to organise consultations, active listening markers to demonstrate engagement, concise summarising techniques, and the application of safety-netting communication to ensure patient safety and clarity of follow-up. The course is highly practice-oriented and incorporates role-plays with simulated patients (SPs) and trained student demonstrators, as well as OSCE-style scenarios. Structured feedback from instructors, peers, and simulated patients supports the development of confident, fluent, and professional communication performance in English aligned with common OSCE assessment criteria.

Lectures

• 1.

  Communication Expectations in Clinical English: Professional Standards and Common Pitfalls

  - Hild Gabriella
• 2.

  Structuring Clinical Encounters in English: From Opening to Closing a Consultation

  - Hild Gabriella
• 3.

  Functional Language in Medical English: Asking, Explaining, Clarifying and Checking Understanding

  - Hild Gabriella
• 4.

  Patient-Centred Communication in English: Empathy, Rapport and Managing Difficult Situations

  - Hild Gabriella

Practices

Seminars

• 1.

  Opening the Consultation: First Impressions and Agenda Setting in English

  - Hild Gabriella, Warta Vilmos
• 2. Chunk-and-Check Techniques and Checking Patient Understanding in English - Hild Gabriella, Németh Tímea
• 3. Consent Language and Explaining Procedures Clearly in English - Hild Gabriella, Dávidovics Anna
• 4. Giving Instructions and Safety-Netting Communication in English - Hild Gabriella, Warta Vilmos
• 5. Managing Emotional Situations in English: Anxious and Distressed Patients - Hild Gabriella, Németh Tímea
• 6. Managing Challenging Behaviour in English: Angry, Talkative or Demanding Patients - Hild Gabriella, Dávidovics Anna
• 7. Summarising and Structured Consultation Closing in English - Hild Gabriella, Warta Vilmos
• 8. a mock OSCE-style role-play (final assessment) - Hild Gabriella, Németh Tímea

Reading material

Obligatory literature

Literature developed by the Department

At the end of the course, students participate in a mock OSCE-style role-play scenario that serves as the summative assessment. This final performance evaluates students’ ability to integrate the communication skills, English phrases, and strategies practised during the course in a realistic clinical interaction.

Notes

Recommended literature

Glendinning, E. H., & Howard, R. (2007). Professional English in Use: Medicine. Cambridge University Press.
McCarter, S. (2009). Medicine 1 & 2 (Oxford English for Careers). Oxford University Press.

Conditions for acceptance of the semester

Active participation is required throughout the semester. Due to the highly practice-oriented nature of the course, students are expected to actively engage in role-plays, simulated OSCE scenarios, and communication exercises. Students must demonstrate ongoing effort to apply the English clinical communication phrases, vocabulary, and strategies introduced during the course. Preparation for in-class activities and constructive participation in peer exercises are considered essential components of successful course completion.

Mid-term exams

Assessment is based on a combination of formative and summative evaluation. Throughout the semester, students receive continuous formative feedback during role-play activities, simulated OSCE scenarios, and communication exercises. Feedback focuses on the appropriate use of clinical communication language, clarity of expression, patient-centred interaction, and professional communication strategies in English.

Making up for missed classes

Due to the highly practical and interactive nature of the course, make-up opportunities for missed sessions are limited. The development of clinical communication skills relies on active participation in role-plays, simulated OSCE scenarios, and in-class practice; therefore, missed sessions cannot be fully replaced by alternative assignments. Students are allowed to miss classes only within the maximum absence limit. Absences exceeding the permitted limit will result in the course not being accepted/completed.

Exam topics/questions

At the end of the course, students participate in a mock OSCE-style role-play scenario that serves as the summative assessment. This final performance evaluates students’ ability to integrate the communication skills, English phrases, and strategies practised during the course in a realistic clinical interaction.

Examiners

• Hild Gabriella
• Németh Tímea

Instructor / tutor of practices and seminars

• Dávidovics Anna
• Hild Gabriella
• Németh Tímea
• Warta Vilmos