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Language course

The language course in Nijmegen is obligatory.

It needs hardly be said that mastering the local language is a prerequisite when working with patients. When you go to work as an expatriate doctor in another country you will therefore need to master the language. A mastery of the local language is also important in social terms: it makes your stay much more pleasant.  

  • Tanzania: Swahili
  • Nicaragua: Spanish
  • Ghana: Twi 
  • Surinam: Sranan Tongo
  • Indonesia: Bahasa

Tanzania: Swahili  In Tanzania you can speak English with the doctors, your supervisor and most paramedics, but you will rarely be dealing with English-speaking patients. In Tanzania almost everyone speaks Swahili, the national language, which is taught from primary school. In remote areas the children and the elderly speak their tribal language and sometimes just a little kiswahili; this is especially true in Kagera (Rubya). Swahili is also important for daily life. There is a course in Swahili for students who will be participating in the Rotation Programme for Student Doctors in low-income countries in one of the hospitals in Tanzania, and for other interested parties. The course consists of 10-11 lessons. Lecturers: Mrs Ria Huijgen and Mr Willem van Ballegooyen.

 

Saturday: 11.00-14.00 hours. Location: OOV zaal, route 448 (-2e verdieping).  Costs: in overleg met docenten.

 

Data 2012:  14 and 28 January, 11 February, 10, 17 and 31 March, 21 and 28 April, 5 and 12 May (for students June and September period) Lecturer: Ria Huygen-Koolen, aanmelding/enrolment: Dit e-mailadres is beschermd tegen spambots. U heeft JavaScript nodig om het te kunnen zien.  

 

Data 2012:  26 May, 9 and 23 June, 7 July, 8 and 22 September, 6 and 20 October, 3 and 17 November (for students December and March period) Lecturer: Willem van Ballegooyen, aanmelding/enrolment: Dit e-mailadres is beschermd tegen spambots. U heeft JavaScript nodig om het te kunnen zien.

 

  • Nicaragua: Spanish  In contrast to the other studentship postings, in Central America, Spanish will be used to communicate not only with patients but also with doctors, your supervisor and the paramedics. Only rarely does one encounter a supervisor or doctor who speaks English. All patients speak Spanish, and Spanish is also important for daily life. Students and other interested people who are going to Central America can take a group course or private lessons in Spanish.

 

  • Ghana: Twi  In Ghana you can easily speak English with the doctors, your supervisor and the paramedics, but you will rarely be dealing with English-speaking patients. Many languages are spoken in the areas around Techiman and Berekum. Twi is the most common. At present there are no opportunities for students going to Ghana to take a group course or private lessons in Twi. Courses offered commercially may be found using studentet. The NIIH secretariat has a booklet which you may copy for your own use. Since Twi is a tonal language, you cannot learn to speak from a book.

 

  • Surinam: Sranan Tongo  In Surinam you can speak Dutch or English with the doctors, your supervisor and the paramedics. Dutch is the official language in Suriname and is taught at primary school but, especially in the interior, many people do not speak Dutch. You can make a copy at the NIIH secretariat of the ‘Werkboek Sranantongo’.