我是来实习的医学生。
Wǒ shì lái shíxí de yīxuéshēng.
I am a medical student here for clinical placement.
Self-introduction.
Clinical rotations in China
Clinical rotations in China: Mandarin phrases for hospital placement
A rotation-focused guide for international students entering Chinese hospital wards, outpatient clinics, and emergency departments.
Before the rotation
Learn introductions, consent to ask questions, basic symptom language, and polite closing phrases. These make patient contact smoother and more respectful.
During ward rounds
Listen for common words such as 疼痛, 发烧, 检查, 用药, and 出院. Practice short questions that clarify symptoms without interrupting the clinical team.
After seeing patients
Review the encounter by system: symptom, onset, duration, severity, associated features, medication, allergy, and red flags.
High-yield phrases
我可以听诊一下吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ tīngzhěn yīxià ma?
May I auscultate?
Bedside examination permission.
今天医生会给您解释检查结果。
Jīntiān yīshēng huì gěi nín jiěshì jiǎnchá jiéguǒ.
The doctor will explain your test results today.
Ward-round communication.
Example clinical dialogue
student
老师让我先了解一下您的情况。
Lǎoshī ràng wǒ xiān liǎojiě yīxià nín de qíngkuàng.
My supervisor asked me to first understand your situation.
patient
好的。
Hǎo de.
Okay.
student
您昨天晚上睡得怎么样？
Nín zuótiān wǎnshang shuì de zěnmeyàng?
How did you sleep last night?
patient
还可以，但是还有点咳嗽。
Hái kěyǐ, dànshì hái yǒudiǎn késou.
Not bad, but I still have some cough.
Common mistakes
- Starting examination without asking permission.
- Memorising ward terms but not patient-friendly explanations.
- Trying to translate long English questions word-for-word.
FAQ
What Mandarin should I know before clinical rotation?
Start with introductions, consent, pain questions, symptom timing, allergies, medications, and basic examination instructions.
How much Mandarin is enough?
Enough to be respectful, ask safe basic questions, and understand common patient responses. Fluency can grow gradually.
Can I use pinyin only?
Pinyin helps pronunciation, but recognising common Chinese characters improves hospital learning.