Presentation of the Textbook “English for Medical Students”

On October 10, 2024, the Foreign Languages Department presented the English-language textbook “English for Medical Students” for first-year medical faculty students. The textbook’s authors are Associate Professors Iryna Prokop, Halyna Kitura, and Nataliia Yelahina. The seminar presentation for the first-year medical students was conducted in English.

The Head of the Foreign Languages Department, Professor Nadiya Fedchyshyn, welcomed the presentation participants. She emphasized that knowledge of foreign languages opens up broad opportunities for people to explore new cultures and customs. For a future doctor, it is not only an opportunity to apply acquired knowledge in specific situations but also to access new professional information, stay updated on the latest advances in medical technology, and use cutting-edge innovations in the field. She concluded her speech with a famous quote from the German philosopher and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Wie viele Sprachen du sprichst, so oft mal bist du Mensch” (“The more languages you know, the more you are human”).

The textbook is designed with regard to modern educational standards and aims to facilitate the mastery of complex terminology, which is fundamental for the professional development of future doctors.

“English for Medical Students” is structured according to the curriculum requirements for medical students. The textbook aims to develop skills in reading and translating original scientific medical literature, provide specialized information for professional communication, and improve communicative competencies in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. It also integrates general educational, instructional, and creative methods in the study of English for medical students. It is intended for medical faculty students in higher education institutions, graduate students, and postgraduates who aim to study medical terminology independently.

During the discussion, the authors answered students’ questions, clarified certain aspects of the textbook’s structure, and shared their teaching experiences in English medical terminology, stressing the importance of a systematic approach to learning.

The participating students actively engaged in a discussion about the importance of knowing foreign languages, reflecting on the statement by the French philosopher Voltaire: “Knowing many languages means having many keys to one lock.”

Our students are smart, erudite, hardworking, and highly talented. Third-year medical student Valentyna Koroliuk and first-year student Marta Vashchyshyn creatively performed a skit about learning medical terminology.

Second-year students Nazarii Bobko, Anastasiia Pryvrotska, and Anastasiia Zaverukha shared their impressions of the textbook and offered words of advice to first-year students in an engaging video presentation.

The organizers expressed their gratitude to library director Olena Protsiv and the library staff for their help in creating a welcoming atmosphere for the seminar presentation.