Construction of a multi-level and multi-style English curriculum system in medical colleges and universities based on analytic hierarchy process / 中华医学教育探索杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To construct a multi-level and multi-style English system in medical colleges and universities for improving medical students' English comprehensive ability in the field of medical science, and to explore the effective transition from college English teaching to bilingual or all-English medical teaching.Methods:English curriculum system in medical colleges and universities was constructed through expert consultation. Indicator ratings were collected from 7 experts who were engaged in college English teaching in medical colleges and universities by questionnaires and interviews. Then the weights of all courses were obtained by means of analytic hierarchy process (AHP).Results:The overall weights of academic paper writing, English for international academic exchange, cross-cultural communication, medical English listening and speaking, and medical thesis writing were in the top 5. Comprehensive English level 2 was in the rank of 6. CET-4 ranked 8.Conclusion:First, general English is still compulsory in medical colleges and universities, but its weight can be reduced properly and the different starting levels are set according to the students' English proficiency. At the same time, the threshold level for bilingual or all-English medical teaching could be assisted by grade examination. English for intercultural communication is not the major but elective subject in medical colleges and universities in order to increase the connotation of English courses in medical colleges and universities. But the cultivation of intercultural communicative competence is essential and can be integrated into each part of other courses.