Training for Medical Professionals
Communication for Allied Health
Careers Course
Below is a summary of the comments received from students enrolled in Communication
for Allied Health Careers at The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC)
"I really enjoyed the class and was very lucky having you
as our instructor. Through the class, I learned so many rules that are really
useful in my studies. Before the class, I had a hard time
pronouncing certain sounds such as "th" and "v".
Those sounds gave me trouble when I talked to people and
they didn't understand me. And I always dropped certain sounds
because of my previous pronunciation habits. The worst thing
was, I was not aware of such problems until I attended the
speech class. The class gave me great help. It included many
rules and useful information in the medical field. I also
got a lot of practice which focused on my difficult sounds.
The most useful parts are the audio CDs that I can listen
to during driving. It was a real time saver! I love them
so much! The other thing I liked were the tutoring section
before each class. The last but not the least, we had a great
instructor who really spent her time and enthusiasm on teaching.
Mrs. Wilner tried to make every class interesting and got
everyone involved. Through the class activities, we got used
to speaking in front of the public. We learned many idioms
that are actually used in clinics. Overall, this was a wonderful
class."
Amie, CCBC Student
 "First of all, I want to say 'Thank you so much' to Ms. Lynda, who taught
me very essential medical rules. I learned a lot of knowledge from SPCM 160,
such as rules on how to pronounce and stress words, idioms, and cultural guides
that I should know if I work in the medical field. Before I took this class,
I did not know how to stress words or the rules of pronunciation and I had
a really bad accent. I was afraid to speak in front of the class. After taking
this speech class, I feel confident in speaking English and I improved my public
speaking (especially the presentation in the class). The ones who suggested
to me to take this speech class are Ms. Gwyn Degner and Dr. Karen Wallace from
the advising center (CCBC). I really appreciate it. The only thing I need to
do is to practice regularly. I now feel comfortable when I speak my second
language, English. I would like to suggest students, who speak English as the
second language and who are going to be in the health care field, to take this
Speech 160 class. I recommend that students will definitely see advantages
from this class."
Nwe Ni, International Student
"I work for a Nursing Home Care Agency here in Baltimore. A few weeks
back I was asked to go work for an elderly gentleman whose family had given
specific instructions that "they do not want anybody with an accent".
Unfortunately, there was nobody else available and I was requested to work
with him. I applied the techniques I learned from Lynda (SPCM 160), for example,
I pronounced words very clearly, I talked very slowly and loudly, and I maintained
eye contact. I tried to apply all what I learned from the speech class, and
I did not have any problem with the gentleman. He understood everything I told
him and I even went back to work with him again. I managed to handle my patient
very well because of the techniques I acquired from SPCM 160.
I will continue
to apply all the communication techniques plus tips on how to handle patients
from different cultural backgrounds and I know it will improve my quality of
work in the nursing field. Thank you."
International Student
"Thank you so much. It was one of my best classes and I enjoyed it a
lot and also learned many things. I'll do my best to make my pronunciation
and speech good. I'm very grateful and thankful to you for extra class sessions."
SS, International Student
"This course is very helpful for everyone. It teaches us to know the
rules and discipline of English that we face in the field of the health profession."
YK, International Student
"This class helped me to learn all the rules that improve medically speaking
skills for my career. Now I know why people were having trouble understanding
me and how I can fix it. It was worth taking this course!"
IO, International Student
"Ms. Lynda, I really want to say taking your class (SPCM 160) has helped
me this semester in my nursing class. I'm taking psychiatric nursing now and
every clinical day involves engaging patients in therapeutic conversations.
I'm really glad I took the class, although there is room for improvement, it's
better because now I am able to know when I'm making mistakes."
AI, student at CCBC-Catonsville
“Because I work in a hospital, this course has been wonderful. I find
many different ways to improve my communication. This course is also helping
me pass Anatomy and Physiology. It helps me to speak right, and is wonderful
for foreigners. It should be required for all students not born in the USA
who have to talk to others in hospitals. It also helps us correct ourselves.”
“This course has helped me with my clinicals because one of my major
problems was communicating with my patients. Now I know how to communicate
more clearly, and people understand me better.”
“This course will help me in the medical field and in all fields in
my life.”
“It has helped expose my weaknesses and make me know how to improve
them. My accent has changed. I realize how much diversity is in the health
field, and I can better appreciate it and be successful with it. I’m
not afraid anymore.”
“This course helped me to have confidence in myself. Now I know which
words to use when and where and how to pronounce them.”
“Before I took this course, the Office of International Students said “we
have a course for you.” I thought I wouldn’t need it because I
spoke English in my country, but this is different than what I expected. She
[the instructor] helps us a lot with pronunciation, idioms, and all things.
People understand me better. Some people might not want to take this course
because it’s not required and is extra money but all people should.”
“Now everyone at work says they can understand me.”
“This class is so necessary for foreigners. It decodes myths that things
are wrong with us or things are wrong with them. I also know my voice projection
wasn’t accurate and now it’s better because I focus on it. I have
knowledge of what I do and my medical vocabulary has improved.”
“There were certain things I thought I knew, but I have learned now
that I wasn’t saying them correctly. I’m surprised at how many
things I was able to change to communicate better.”
“Being conscious of how you present information when you speak, and
to think about sounds—this is what I have learned. This teacher is doing
a lot for us.”
“I now know how to relate to patients in hospitals in the US. I know
how to interact, and I understand how communication works. I know how to pronounce
words in America.”
“I work in a nursing home and I can translate medical documents better
now. I feel like this course will help me get a better job.”
“This course has helped me more than any other course I took in the
United States. The private sessions were very important and helped me a lot.”
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