Interrelationship between learning English language and students' medical education.
BACKGROUND
Medical students and researchers need to learn English, not only because it is the means of teaching and learning, but also because its knowledge is necessary in their research activities.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to determine the importance of the study of English language learning for student medical education.


METHODS
The investigation was carried out among students of the Medical Faculty of Nis in 2006. The investigation included 312 students of all years of study and departments and was conducted using a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Average rate in writing skill was 4.64 +/- 0.6, in speaking skill 4.62 +/- 0.6, while the students of the College of Nursing showed significantly lower average value. The average value of learning the foreign language was: writing (3.161 +/- .09); speaking (3.27 +/- 1.1); reading (3.84 +/- 1.0) and understanding (3.85 +/- 1.1). The students of the College of Nursing showed significantly lower grades in comparison to the other three Departments. The comparison analysis was done in order to determine the relation of writing and speaking skills in mother tongue and foreign language. As for the English language, the relation of writing and speaking skills was very strong (Pearson C = 0.641, p < 0.01), while in the mother tongue it was slightly lower (Pearson C = 0.44, p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of students satisfied with their economic status was 55% and with social status 79%. The writing and speaking skills in the mother tongue and in English were significantly positively associated with students' satisfaction with their social and economic status, while satisfaction with achievements at the Faculty was associated only with the ability of verbal expression in the mother tongue. The students' satisfaction with their social and economic status was mostly associated with good oral skills in English, which indicates that good knowledge of a foreign language is of great influence on the status of an individual in a society.
Milosavljević
Natasa
N
School of Medicine, University of NiS, Nis. natasa@medfak.ni.ac.yu
D004501:Education, Medical; D007802:Language; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D055771:Serbia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*