This lesson focuses on professional communication with specialist colleagues in French, teaching essential terms like "patient" (patient), "consultation" (consultation), and phrases for requesting and summarizing medical opinions, writing formal letters, and presenting patient cases clearly.
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je vous écris pour vous informer que le patient __________ une douleur persistante.
(I am writing to inform you that the patient __________ has persistent pain.)2. Le diagnostic __________ une infection de la gencive.
(The diagnosis __________ a gum infection.)3. Nous __________ une consultation avec un spécialiste pour un traitement adapté.
(We __________ a consultation with a specialist for appropriate treatment.)4. Je vous prie de me contacter si vous __________ besoin de plus d'informations.
(Please contact me if you __________ need more information.)Exercise 3: Professional communication with a specialist colleague
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Préparer - Préparer
Présent
- je prépare
- tu prépares
- il/elle prépare
- nous préparons
- vous préparez
- ils/elles préparent
Résumer - Résumer
Présent
- je résume
- tu résumes
- il/elle résume
- nous résumons
- vous résumez
- ils/elles résument
Décrire - Décrire
Présent
- je décris
- tu décris
- il/elle décrit
- nous décrivons
- vous décrivez
- ils/elles décrivent
Collaborer - Collaborer
Présent
- je collabore
- tu collabores
- il/elle collabore
- nous collaborons
- vous collaborez
- ils/elles collaborent
Vérifier - Vérifier
Présent
- je vérifie
- tu vérifies
- il/elle vérifie
- nous vérifions
- vous vérifiez
- ils/elles vérifient
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Lesson Overview: Communicating with a Specialist Colleague in French
This lesson helps learners develop essential communication skills for professional interactions with medical specialists in French. At the A2 level, the content focuses on practical dialogues, professional letter writing, and summarizing patient information in meetings.
Key Lesson Contents
- Requesting a Specialist's Opinion: Learn to present patient cases clearly and ask for expert advice. Example phrases include "Le patient a une douleur thoracique" (The patient has chest pain) and "Je vous conseille une consultation en cardiologie" (I advise a cardiology consultation).
- Writing a Professional Letter: Practice formal letter structures to communicate patient details and requests to specialist colleagues. Important expressions are "Je vous écris au sujet d'un patient commun" (I am writing to you regarding a shared patient) and "Pouvez-vous me confirmer la réception de la lettre ?" (Can you confirm receipt of the letter?).
- Summarizing Patient Files in Meetings: Gain skills in briefly presenting patient history and symptoms in professional meetings to facilitate specialist input. For example, "Il a 65 ans et un antécédent de diabète" (He is 65 years old with a history of diabetes) and "Je pense qu'une consultation en rhumatologie serait utile" (I think a rheumatology consultation would be useful).
Useful Vocabulary and Phrases
- Présenter (to present)
- Recommander (to recommend)
- Diagnostiquer (to diagnose)
- Consultation (consultation)
- Collègue spécialiste (specialist colleague)
The lesson also includes conjugation practice for verbs essential in medical communication, such as présente, montre, recommandons, and avez.
Differences and Helpful Tips for English Speakers
French professional communication often requires formal letter structures and polite expressions more consistently than English in medical settings. Phrases like "Je vous écris" (I write to you) or "Je vous prie de me contacter" (Please contact me) show respect and formality. Additionally, French verbs are conjugated according to subject and tense, which differs from English's relatively simple verb forms. For example, "Je prépare" (I prepare) versus "nous préparons" (we prepare). Understanding these nuances enhances clear and respectful communication with French-speaking medical professionals.
Common expressions to remember include:
- "Pouvez-vous me confirmer... ?" – Can you confirm for me...?
- "Je vous conseille..." – I advise you...
- "Nous sollicitons votre avis..." – We seek your opinion...
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