English for Physicians

Canada/USA Residents

Getting to Know the “U.S./Canadian Way”
Retrieving the right information from appropriate sources often proves to be a highly frustrating experience for non-sponsored, new immigrants to Canada/USA.

Most foreign university healthcare graduates seeking to establish themselves in North America are aware of the academic challenges they will have to face before they are certified by the Medical Council of Canada or the U.S. Licensing Examination  Board.

However, only after they have spent some time in the USA or Canada do newcomers realize that the general information provided by immigration authorities at Embassies worldwide is too vague and of little help. This information is intended for general use, not to address specific requirements.

New immigrants realize they will have to spend a substantial amount of time becoming acquainted with basic U.S. or Canadian federal and provincial regulations before they can consider starting their training program. 

In Canada, provincial and federal healthcare regulations are often governed by different sets of rules and may vary from one province to another. For instance, what is mandatory in the province of Quebec may be inadmissible in Ontario or Alberta. For many who have not been able to secure proper assistance before their arrival this exercise in political culture is a huge, unexpected, and time-consuming setback. Most non-sponsored immigrants are unprepared for the ordeal of having to find their way through what appears to be an endless maze official regulations, unfamiliar bureaucratic procedures, and often contradictory and baffling information in a new and alien environment.

Who can they turn to for help? The more questions they raise, the more confused they seem to get. A reality they had never anticipated then emerges: it may take them months of patient and disappointing effort before some sense can be made out of all the bits of information they have collected from federal and provincial institutions or professional associations.

At this point, motivation begins to be shaken and serious doubts arise. A considerable number of unassisted foreign physicians abandon their professional project and return to their country during the first year of their “Canadian/U.S. experience”.

At ATPAL time is not wasted. We are committed to assisting you to get pertinent information right away. From the very beginning, we will help you set up on the right track; you will not have to use your valuable time gathering and analyzing confusing  information. From day one, you will be able to focus entirely on your professional goal and make productive use of your time, effort, and monetary resources.

The Canadian Medical System
In addition to a) sound scientific knowledge, b) the capacity to provide accurate diagnosis, and c) prescribe appropriate treatment, in-depth understanding of the administrative aspect of the Canadian healthcare system is required in order to qualify as a certified physician in the Canadian medical system.

The Canadian Medical Board will evaluate a physician’s technical skills as well as the capacity to make efficient use of public assets. Physicians must be properly trained not only to diagnose and treat patients, but also to develop a cost-efficient approach to maximize the resources offered by the Canadian state-operated healthcare structure.

As part of it’s exclusive training process, ATPAL provides insight into the Canadian medical praxis. This aspect is fundamental but often overlooked by many foreign doctors who unwittingly jeopardize their chances of success by focusing exclusively on upgrading their technical and linguistic skills in view of the Evaluating/Qualifying Examination by the Medical Council of Canada or US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Medical language usually finds its roots in Greek and Latin terminology; these words sound and look alike in most western languages. Equipped with basic knowledge and a few ‘communicative’ tricks (body language, sounds, facial expressions, etc.), many physicians understand and use what is commonly referred to as ‘English medispeak’. Thus, doctor-patient communication can be easily established.

Matters are very different, however, when a physician has to understand a lecturer or is confronted with an examining panel. Poor language skills may then create serious confusions and be interpreted as a sign of lack of confidence/knowledge. Obviously, consequences may be disastrous.

Courses at ATPAL are designed by experienced physicians who understand the Canadian medical system and are familiar with the difficulties foreign doctors will encounter. You will be professionally assisted by colleagues, lecturers and qualified instructors who act as real patients.

With the ATPAL system (please check the link about ATPAL for more information on ATPAL techniques) you will be trained to:

1. Develop the skills to understand lectures in English.
2. Deliver lectures in fluent English. 
3. Understand patients’ complaints, signs, and symptoms.  
4. Interact efficiently with other healthcare professionals.    
5. Produce medical histories, write medical orders, prescriptions, articles and reports.

The level of language proficiency is determined by a placement test. Based on the result of this test we may recommend a general review of important structural elements of the language before commencing the study of specialized information.

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