"Anonymous" wrote:
"Too bad though! I am an IMG, too, but it just kills me to hear some foreign physicians' broken English. Maybe we will never be able to lose our accents, but we can learn the grammar and the spelling, there is no excuse for not doing that, TOEFL, or no TOEFL."
As a program coordinator, and a patient of IMG's, I agree with you. Is English being evaluated during the CSA exam? That could be the reason for not continuing the TOEFL??
(As a native English speaking person, I have wondered if I could pass some of the TOEFL?? I've looked at the questions and just wondered!!)
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bbb - trying to combine common sense and humour into realistic answers, but not going to guess on anyone's chances of getting into a position....
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| Anno Domini
Moderator
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Well i am sure that bad english will not kill you but bad doctor surely will.Everybody can learn english so there is time for that.Toefl is just one more stress that an img got to have.Eliminating it is a good thing.And you can't learn English better than in states or england.So as i said there is time for that.
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| bbb
IM Program Coordinator
Topics: 32
Posts: 4,657
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"Anno Domini" wrote:
Well i am sure that bad english will not kill you but bad doctor surely will.
Very true, there is time to learn English. However.. :? ...
Practicing your English while in a residency isn't the time - it should be done before you start the residency, because it is one of the things that the program directors will be looking for when you interview.
As a patient, who frequently sees IMG's as doctors, it's very hard to be in a stressful situation and not have a doctor that understands and speaks English clearly. And it's not just English - a doctor has to be able to take the medical data and turn it into English that the patient can understand.
Me? I have lived in Germany for three years and have an ear for that accent. I know many, many Arabic people and can hear through that accent. Spanish? Yup, that one also.
But when I want to hear that my rib isn't broken, it's pneumonia or that my blood work is bad and I need more tests, all I want is a doctor who can communicate with me, easily and clearly.
Good luck!
p.s. one of my fav residents from India told me that she learned her best English from Oprah and American soap operas. She was in the country less than 18 months prior to starting residency and most persons thought she was born and raised her. She worked hard for that.
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bbb - trying to combine common sense and humour into realistic answers, but not going to guess on anyone's chances of getting into a position....
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