When you ask a freshman what is the most important thing to know, the answer is anatomy. In the second year it is physiology, in the third year it is pathology or pathological physiology, in the fourth year it is pharmacology, in the fifth year it is internal medicine, surgery... in short, all subjects are important. But one subject is underestimated in almost all faculties in the Czech Republic. Which one is it? Read on!
I dare to say that one of the most important subjects in medicine, and in general when studying, is English. Pathology is certainly important, but you won't learn it without good resources. During our studies at the Faculty of Arts, we had one semester of English. It didn't matter to me, I had English in high school, I knew English anyway. But I also knew a few classmates who studied other languages at the gymnasium, or did not deal with English very well. It wasn't that difficult for them to take the credit and then the exam, but they probably didn't quite reach the professional level. They didn't mind that much… but what if it's a bigger handicap for them than it seems at first glance?
Hundreds of millions of people around the world speak English. Yes, you need English for an internship, a conference, or a vacation… but you need it for much more than just that.
Over time, a person discovers that if he wants to get a professional education, he simply cannot get by with Czech and English becomes his daily bread.
The vast majority of studies are in English. A lot of quality textbooks are in English. A bunch of tutorial videos on youtube are in English. And what about podcasts!
Remember that one textbook that you just couldn't learn from and yet was pretty much the only study material? Do you remember how you had no choice but to reach for foreign sources, in English..?
About 10 million people live in the Czech Republic. How many of them are health professionals? How many of them have time to create some study resources with their already demanding jobs? How many of them really have the skills to do it? I suppose not much.
Whether we like it or not, there are simply many times more study materials in English. Another positive fact is that before textbooks or scripts make their way onto the global market, they go through a tough selection process. In many examples, when looking for a good study resource, it pays to cross the border and search straight away in English. In some cases, we have nothing else left.
For those of you who aren't doing so well with your English - work on it. I myself know how difficult it is to do something extra while studying, but it will come back to you. Whether at the next exam, state exams, or certification.
I recommend watching your favorite series in English during breaks between studying. Better without subtitles, because they don't force you to watch the plot so much and think about what is being talked about.
I am attaching a few verified sources here - you will surely recognize that their quality is often higher than that of a number of institutes at your faculty. You'll have to pay for some of them, but just because they've gone through such a selection, it's worth it.
https://www.medcram.com/ - lessons from the whole medicine in short videos
https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search - information from studies processed into a clinically usable form
https://www.osmosis.org/ - video lessons from across medicine
https://examine.com/ – super evidence-based website about food supplements.
https://www.foundmyfitness.com/ - a nutrition, healthy lifestyle and aging website with science-based information
Do you have a favorite resource? Email it to us at infinitemedstyle@gmail.com, we'll be happy to add it here!
And don't forget, each of us started with English and each of us is sometimes embarrassed to speak a foreign language. But in the end you will find out for yourself that nothing is as bad as it seems at the beginning and learning English is not such a science.
Author: Matěj S.
