Radiology and English as a second language?

[demayette]

---

Members don't see this ad.

How difficult it is for someone whose english is its second language to practice radiology? I have seen these docs dictating these stuff in a "radio" and I believe it would be hard for the transcriber to imprint these stuff if the radiologist has an accent different from the american accent.

 

[smq123]

How difficult it is for someone whose english is its second language to practice radiology? I have seen these docs dictating these stuff in a "radio" and I believe it would be hard for the transcriber to imprint these stuff if the radiologist has an accent different from the american accent.

A few points:

- Most radiologists dictate into a system that has pre-set templates. So they're really only dictating a few specific words/phrases.

For the radiology dictation software, it is (I believe) actually voice recognition software. So it recognizes your voice, adjusting for your accent.

- Keep in mind that, even among radiologists for whom English is their native language, there is a huge variety in accents and pronounciation. Despite that, they all seem to manage just fine.

- All doctors dictate, not just radiologists. I am a non-radiologist, but I still dictate discharge summaries, admission H&Ps, etc. For that, it actually IS a question of transcription, so we are asked to speak slowly and to enunciate.

If you want to be a radiologist and English isn't your native language, you'll be fine. I've seen quite a few radiologists who spoke English with an accent, and they didn't seem to have major problems..

 

[Labslave]

A few points:

- Most radiologists dictate into a system that has pre-set templates. So they're really only dictating a few specific words/phrases.

For the radiology dictation software, it is (I believe) actually voice recognition software. So it recognizes your voice, adjusting for your accent.

- Keep in mind that, even among radiologists for whom English is their native language, there is a huge variety in accents and pronounciation. Despite that, they all seem to manage just fine.

- All doctors dictate, not just radiologists. I am a non-radiologist, but I still dictate discharge summaries, admission H&Ps, etc. For that, it actually IS a question of transcription, so we are asked to speak slowly and to enunciate.

If you want to be a radiologist and English isn't your native language, you'll be fine. I've seen quite a few radiologists who spoke English with an accent, and they didn't seem to have major problems..

Although I have less experience than smq123 (as I'm a medical student who's only done a few rotations), I agree with the above. I have personally worked with three fellows from India that had no problems, although I must say that they had very good English (still had very thick accents). I wouldn't let this dissuade you from pursuing radiology as a career.

 

[LaylaAlthani]

How difficult it is for someone whose english is its second language to practice radiology? I have seen these docs dictating these stuff in a "radio" and I believe it would be hard for the transcriber to imprint these stuff if the radiologist has an accent different from the american accent.

Im actually a transcriptionist for a large radiology group and rest assured your accent will be fine. We have several rads with massive accents and I simply get used to each radiologist and their different accents. If I have a major problem with a word, I just ask the radiologists or leave a blank in the report and they correct it when they approve their reports.