Medical german course

Language Corner
1
Hello everyone,

I'm a young doctor that just moved to switzerland and should start working from october. I have a C1 level in german and looking for some schools in CH or DE (online) that offers preparation german classes (for August and September) for young doctors. if you have some experiences with some of them as well?

I'll be located in Schaffhausen and didn't find many offers there. so online classes are a solution as well.

Cheers

2
In Suisse Romande, both fide and the Red Cross offer such classes; they’re in person I think. Maybe try those organizations?

3
Are their classes good ?

Never heard that Red cross was providing with classes

4
Thé Red Cross in Neuchâtel certainly organises medical french courses and a friend said they were very good.

No idea if they offer the same in the German speaking region though

5
If you want to learn German preparation classes, consider Goethe-Institut, Berlitz, or Migros Klubschule for physical or online options. Online platforms like Babbel or Rosetta Stone are also worth exploring, From these online institutes you can learn more and this will be so helpful to you.

6

Although the Red Cross does offer courses in German, they’re probably below your current level. Even so, it’s worth asking at the Red Cross in Schaffhausen:
https://www.srk-schaffhausen.ch/lernen/uebersicht-kurse

7
As a med student who started out with C1 level, I’d suggest the following tactics:

- get out in town and listen to Swiss German (eavesdrop at a cafe if you have to), your ears need to get used to Swiss German. Some patients will switch to standard German for you, some won’t realise it’s helpful, some are plain uncomfortable in standard German. Many are more willing to give it a go when you tell them you are English / whatever and standard German isn’t your mother tongue either....

- read some medical material in German, ideally subjects that you are comfortable with initially, so you pick up vocabulary. If your school used lots of Latin terms, you’ll be comfortable with much of it already. Then move onto case reports or similar so you get used to the way symptoms are described.

- practice giving clinical investigation instructions to the nearest available teddy bear (or tame local Swiss if you have one willing to help)... lift your shoulders, blow out your cheeks, push your toes against my hand etc

- try writing patient notes / practicing presenting a patient to a senior ... can you find the right vocab for the symptoms?

Out of curiosity, what made you move to Switzerland? I grew up in UK, so know the NHS as a patient, decided Swiss system was much resource rich so decided to study and work here (mature student)...wondering how you see the Swiss health system

8
Thank you very much for your tips. Family made me move to switzerland and have now two month till the beginn of my contract. I'm stressing a bit tbh

9
Stressing out sounds normal Feel free to ask if there are questions ... I’ve been on the wards for 2 years or so in practicals, start full time (State exam permitting) 1 November.

Btw...you don’t have to place IV’s here...the nurses do that. Oh, and they are referred to as a “venflon”