Is mastering English reading and writing skills 'enough' for medical students?

For medical students, is reading and writing English enough in the context of globalization and the requirements of training in these fields?

Students of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy interact with Dr. Nguyen Trung Nghia (4th from left) at the lecture hall on September 27 - Photo: MY DUNG

Sharing at the exchange session "Learning English effectively under medical pressure" in the festival for new students organized by Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy in collaboration with DOL English thinking system on September 27, Master, Doctor Nguyen Trung Nghia - former student of Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Head of Psychiatry Department of Vinmec Times City International General Hospital - said that learning and mastering English is a mandatory requirement for medical students.

According to Dr. Nghia, First year medical students still read mainly in Vietnamese. But from the second year onwards, almost all medical students' resources must be found in English and written and translated by the English language.

When entering the third and fourth years, medical students often have to search and study in English. Therefore, at this time, students really need to have more English reading comprehension ability.

Many medical students today believe that just being able to read and write English well is enough. But according to Dr. Nghia, if students expect to present their professional knowledge to friends, teachers and have the opportunity to examine and treat foreigners, mastering the ability to read and write English is not enough.

"Even when pursuing higher education such as master's or doctoral degrees abroad, all interview procedures and working with teachers and friends are done through communication in English. So if students are able to improve their English skills such as listening and speaking, they will have more opportunities," Dr. Nghia emphasized.

However, from his own learning experience, Dr. Nghia believes that medical students often have difficulty mastering English speaking and writing skills, because the learning environment does not provide opportunities for communication and writing.

Nowadays, although there are many channels for learning English, with the context of AI technology and social networks, the enrichment of medical students' English writing skills is increasingly threatened by technologies that make students easily dependent and stunt their ability to delve deeper, be creative and practice.

Therefore, Dr. Nghia advises students not to depend on available technologies to get scores or do English essays through AI.

"For English or foreign languages, learners need to study regularly to turn them into their own skills. If students do not spend time writing, reading and brainstorming by themselves but let AI do it for them, over time these skills will disappear. This is a real threat.

As a working person, I think the most suitable time to improve English is when you are a student. Because at each time you need to have a priority, so students need to take advantage of this time to study, including learning English effectively," Dr. Nghia advised.

MY DUNG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/lam-chu-ky-nang-doc-va-viet-tieng-anh-co-du-dung-voi-sinh-vien-y-duoc-202509271951011.htm