English for Doctors: Vocabulary and Patient Talk

Doctors who work in English need the language on two very different levels. With colleagues and in notes, they use precise medical vocabulary; with patients, they need to set that vocabulary aside and explain things in plain, reassuring English. This guide covers the language of both. An important note first: this is a guide to English, not to medicine. The examples show how to say things clearly, not how to diagnose or treat, and nothing here is clinical advice.

Core vocabulary areas

Medical English is vast, but a doctor working in a new language usually needs to shore up a few areas first.

• Symptoms: ache, sore, swollen, dizzy, short of breath, rash, numbness, tender.
• Body systems: cardiovascular (heart), respiratory (lungs), digestive, nervous, musculoskeletal.
• Common actions: examine, prescribe, refer, monitor, admit, discharge, follow up.
• Describing pain: sharp, dull, throbbing, burning, constant, comes and goes.

Learning to recognise both the technical term and its everyday equivalent, such as fracture and broken bone, is what lets you switch between talking to a colleague and talking to a patient.

Explaining things to patients in plain English

The clearest sign of strong communication is being able to drop the jargon. Patients rarely know medical terms, so the language skill is translation into plain English.

• Instead of "hypertension", say "high blood pressure".
• Instead of "myocardial infarction", say "heart attack".
• Instead of "you are hypoglycaemic", say "your blood sugar is too low".
• Instead of "we will administer analgesia", say "we will give you something for the pain".

Short sentences help too, as does checking understanding with a simple question like "Does that make sense?" or "Would you like me to explain that again?" These are language choices; the medical content itself is always a matter for your own training and judgement.

Useful language for asking about symptoms

Taking a history involves a set of clear question forms. The following are examples of natural English phrasing, not a clinical checklist.

• "Where exactly is the pain?"
• "When did it start?"
• "Does anything make it better or worse?"
• "Have you had this before?"
• "Are you taking any medication at the moment?"

Open questions like "How have you been feeling?" invite a fuller answer, while closed ones like "Do you smoke?" confirm specific facts. Knowing which to use, and phrasing it gently, is a communication skill worth practising.

Communicating with colleagues

Between professionals the language changes again: faster, more technical, and full of shorthand. Handovers follow clear structures so that nothing is missed, and clarity matters more than politeness under time pressure. Being comfortable with both registers, the plain English of the bedside and the precise language of the ward round, is what marks a confident English-speaking clinician.

A note on requirements

Because language requirements for medical practice are set by official regulators and change over time, this guide deliberately gives no specific scores or thresholds. Always confirm the current rules with the relevant regulator and employer.

That said, a recognised, general English qualification can support a professional profile and show that your everyday English is at a strong level. Our English certificate for job applications assesses and certifies your general English against the CEFR, which can sit alongside the specific professional requirements you confirm separately.