Medical English: Phrases for Taking a Patient History
If you're preparing for the OET or planning to work in an English-speaking medical environment, it’s important not only to know medical terminology but also to communicate effectively with patients. One of the key parts of any consultation is taking the patient's history.
In this article, we’ll go through the most common English phrases doctors use when taking a history. At the end, you’ll find a sample dialogue between a doctor and a patient, formatted like a real clinical scenario.
In this article, we’ll go through the most common English phrases doctors use when taking a history. At the end, you’ll find a sample dialogue between a doctor and a patient, formatted like a real clinical scenario.
Common phrases for starting the consultation
It all begins with a greeting and an open-ended question. This sets the tone for the consultation and helps build rapport:
Next, the doctor needs to get a clearer picture of the current complaint:
Past medical history
The doctor should also find out if the patient has experienced this before or has any chronic conditions:
This section is short but essential:
To complete the picture, the doctor asks about lifestyle factors:
It all begins with a greeting and an open-ended question. This sets the tone for the consultation and helps build rapport:
- Good morning, I’m Dr. [Name]. How can I help you today?
- What brings you here today?
- Could you please describe your symptoms?
- When did it start?
- Is the pain constant or does it come and go?
- Can you point to where it hurts?
Next, the doctor needs to get a clearer picture of the current complaint:
- How would you describe the pain? (sharp, dull, throbbing, cramping?)
- On a scale from 1 to 10, how severe is the pain?
- What makes it better or worse?
- Have you noticed any other symptoms? (fever, nausea, fatigue?)
Past medical history
The doctor should also find out if the patient has experienced this before or has any chronic conditions:
- Have you had anything like this before?
- Do you suffer from any chronic conditions? (e.g., diabetes, hypertension)
- Have you had any recent infections?
- Are you currently taking any medications?
This section is short but essential:
- Are you allergic to any medication?
- Have you ever had surgery?
- Have you been hospitalized recently?
To complete the picture, the doctor asks about lifestyle factors:
- Do you smoke or drink alcohol?
- What is your occupation?
- Do you live alone or with someone?
- Are you under a lot of stress recently?
Doctor–Patient Dialogue in English
To better understand how to use these phrases in practice, let’s look at an example of a dialogue between a doctor and a patient.
Doctor: Good morning. What brings you in today?
Patient: I’ve been dealing with ongoing headaches for about a week now.
Doctor: I’m sorry to hear that. Could you describe what the pain feels like?
Patient: It’s mostly concentrated in my temples and often feels like a throbbing sensation.
Doctor: Have you noticed anything that seems to trigger the headaches? Stress, perhaps?
Patient: Now that I think about it, they usually come after long workdays.
Doctor: Do any of your family members suffer from migraines or frequent headaches?
Patient: Yes, my mother has a history of migraines.
Doctor: Have you taken anything to relieve the pain?
Patient: Just over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen or aspirin, but they didn’t help much.
Doctor: Have you had any accompanying symptoms, such as nausea or sensitivity to light?
Patient: Yes, bright light tends to make the headache worse.
Doctor: To get a clearer picture, I’d also like to know if you have any other medical conditions.
Patient: I have hypertension, but it’s well-managed with medication.
Doctor: Thank you. We’ll run a few tests to investigate what might be causing these headaches.
Taking a patient history in English is an essential skill for any doctor working in an international setting. It’s helpful not only for passing exams like the OET, but also for everyday clinical practice. To feel confident when communicating with patients, it’s important to learn not just isolated phrases, but to understand the structure of the conversation and know how to adapt in real time.
Start with the most common questions, practice saying them out loud, and rehearse with simulations. Over time, you’ll sound more fluent and professional.
Doctor: Good morning. What brings you in today?
Patient: I’ve been dealing with ongoing headaches for about a week now.
Doctor: I’m sorry to hear that. Could you describe what the pain feels like?
Patient: It’s mostly concentrated in my temples and often feels like a throbbing sensation.
Doctor: Have you noticed anything that seems to trigger the headaches? Stress, perhaps?
Patient: Now that I think about it, they usually come after long workdays.
Doctor: Do any of your family members suffer from migraines or frequent headaches?
Patient: Yes, my mother has a history of migraines.
Doctor: Have you taken anything to relieve the pain?
Patient: Just over-the-counter meds like ibuprofen or aspirin, but they didn’t help much.
Doctor: Have you had any accompanying symptoms, such as nausea or sensitivity to light?
Patient: Yes, bright light tends to make the headache worse.
Doctor: To get a clearer picture, I’d also like to know if you have any other medical conditions.
Patient: I have hypertension, but it’s well-managed with medication.
Doctor: Thank you. We’ll run a few tests to investigate what might be causing these headaches.
Taking a patient history in English is an essential skill for any doctor working in an international setting. It’s helpful not only for passing exams like the OET, but also for everyday clinical practice. To feel confident when communicating with patients, it’s important to learn not just isolated phrases, but to understand the structure of the conversation and know how to adapt in real time.
Start with the most common questions, practice saying them out loud, and rehearse with simulations. Over time, you’ll sound more fluent and professional.
