Vancouver Medical English Institute

Located in British Columbia, Canada, the Vancouver Medical English Institute (VMEI) offers immersion courses in English as a Second Language designed for Medical Professionals. The courses concentrate on the use of English in a medical context. They teach both the language and culturally appropriate communication skills for practicing medical careers in an English speaking environment. Programs are intended for adults in the medical professions, doctors, nurses, medical students, pharmacists, medical technicians and other professions where medical terminology and usage is needed. The Institute is operated according to the methods and philosophy of Pikku Vichert. Pikku is a highly respected professional trained in medicine with over 20 years of ESL experience. She has researched all the standard methods of instruction and adapted them to her own philosophy of learning. She believes that students learn best if they are thoroughly engaged and actively enjoying the process. Pikku feels that participation is of prime importance in order to facilitate the interaction between students and teacher, and therefore she does not have classes larger than four students. This is an Institute for students who really want to learn. Pikku believes that learning is best achieved with a mixture of intense learning and more relaxed practice. Therefore her curriculum has half a day of concentrated teaching and the other half of the student’s day is occupied with less intense learning activities that complement and consolidate what was learned during the half-day of dynamic instruction. VMEI understands that medical professionals need to make the best possible use of their limited time and therefore it has designed courses that produce results as quickly as possible. The school has a modern language laboratory and a library with subscriptions to medical periodicals and daily newspapers. The lounge is a comfortable centre for social contact between students and teachers. It has a microwave, fridge, espresso maker and other facilities to help students enjoy their lunch and conversation (only in English please).

Vancouver is often cited as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With the sea and mountains as a backdrop this clean well maintained city offers a safe exciting environment for a rich learning experience. The population of the City of Vancouver is almost 600,000. When you count the surrounding urban area the total population is 2 million. Federal government departments provide service in English and French, but most of the population speaks English as either a first or second language. The City of Vancouver is quite cosmopolitan and is a mix of many multicultural groups. Because the city is multicultural, it's also multilingual on an unofficial level. Its people speak many different languages and many follow the traditions of their native lands, sometimes moderating them with Canadian culture. Warmed by Pacific Ocean currents and protected by a range of mountains, Vancouver enjoys mild temperatures year-round. From high 70's Fahrenheit (low 20's Celsius) in summer to a mild mid 40's Fahrenheit (0º to 5º Celsius) in winter, the climate is always hospitable. Our winters are wet, but it rarely snows, except on our local ski hills. Vancouver has an endless supply of things to see and do. It doesn't matter what time of day or what time of year - whether you want to be indoors or out, active or a spectator, spend a lot of money or none at all - Vancouver has it all! The following are just a few of the available pursuits for those times when you are not busy with your classmates or with activities at the Institute: Skiing, Sailing, Horseback riding, Golf, Nightclubbing, Shows, Museums, Hiking and walking, Sightseeing, Shopping, Festivals and Events. The Vancouver Medical English Institute is located in the downtown core of Vancouver and close to attractions, shopping, outdoor activities - everything you want to do and see in Vancouver is easily accessible - within walking distance, a short drive, a quick ferry ride or convenient trip on our local transit system.

Core Medical English: This is the fundamental course offered by the Institute and is the basis from which other courses were developed. It concentrates on the acquisition of English in a medical context and it is intended for students with an intermediate to advanced level of English knowledge. Core Course Content: • Medical Terminology • Role Playing • Emergency vocabulary • Interview techniques and dialogues in an English-speaking culture • Talking to patients in terms they can understand • Medical procedures • Inferring meaning of unfamiliar words from context • Medical communication with other professionals The course is designed to complement the learning process that is natural to most people. We find that 3 hours of intense learning is about the most that an average person can usefully absorb in a day. The rest of the day can be spent most beneficially doing exercises designed to reinforce the learned material. This is accomplished in the companion course, Practicing Medical English. The Core course is concentrated and meant to get the material into the students head, the companion course Practicing Medical English keeps it there. The course is ongoing on a four month rotating basis. All components of the course will be taught every month but the content will not repeat itself until the fifth month. This means that a student can enter the course at any time, and can choose a one, two, three or four month intensive course. Students completing the full four-month program will give graduating presentations and receive a diploma. We recommend that students take the full program of 30 hours a week which includes 15 hours of intensive classroom learning (Core Medical English Immersion) and another 15 hours of Medical English reinforcement (Practicing Medical English) which include use of the language laboratory, shadowing (observing) of medical professionals, conversation and pronunciation classes. However, we will try to accommodate students that wish to take only one course at a time. Preparation for Medical English: This course is for students who want to improve their English before entering the Core Medical English Course. It will prepare them for the Medical English Program and bring them up to the entry level. This is an ESL course which teaches speaking, listening, reading and writing. It uses health care related topics and role plays to practice everyday English. It is more of a general English course than the Core Medical English Program which is truly concentrated on "Medical English" and is intended specifically for medical professionals. There is a maximum of 6 students per class so that each student has plenty of opportunity to speak and interact with the teacher. This number will be reduced to 4 students per class when the student moves on to the Core Medical English Program. This course is best for students who are at an upper beginner or lower intermediate level

VMEI will help students find a place to live. There are many different types of accommodation you can choose from. One of the most popular and affordable types of accommodation is homestay, where you live in a home as part of the family. Homestay Accommodation: We find that homestay is a good way of making contact with local Canadians and practicing your English. Bed & Breakfast (B&B): These are small hotels or pensions which are a good option for the first few days if you will be looking for a place to stay after you get here. Apartments: Vancouver has a wide variety of furnished and unfurnished apartments available. VMEI can find a furnished apartment for you in the downtown area, close to the school. These apartments are comfortable and secure, and some have swimming pools and exercise rooms. If you want, VMEI will arrange it for you and personally inspect it before you arrive. Shared Accommodation: It is common for two or more students in Vancouver to rent a house or apartment and share the expenses. You may want to consider this after you meet other students at the Institute, or you can look at the shared accommodation that is advertised in the newspaper here. You will, however, have to make your own arrangements for this type of accommodation.

Because VMEI is a small specialized school whose students all have medical professions in common, it is usually easy for the students and staff to become friends. VMEI arranges at least one social occasion each week where everyone is invited to participate in a meal or a recreational outing together. The Institute also sets up medical networking events so students can meet and talk to local medical professionals.