Evaluating Language Usage and Attitudes Among Future Healthcare Professionals in Morocco

Introduction Medical education in Morocco has long been based on the French language; this has created difficulties in understanding courses and scientific research. This study brings a current understanding of language barriers in medical education and contributes to a broader understanding of attitudes towards language practices among medical students. In particular, it seeks to identify the language barriers medical students in Morocco experience in some aspects of their medical education and their language preference for medical education. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among a sample of students studying at the Casablanca Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy. They were invited to respond to a self-completed questionnaire. Results: Overall, 513 students completed the questionnaire. Results show that 46.2% master French very well; 78.3% think that French is widely used among doctors in professional and clinical settings. About 52.4% and 77.1%, respectively, think that English is a global language, and it should be used as a means of instruction in medical schools in Morocco. 56.3% of the students believe that language barriers lead to miscommunication between medical professionals, reducing both parties’ satisfaction. 63.9% and 93.8% of the students are in favor of teaching of medical terminology in Arabic and English. Finally, and 68% of the students who have a very good command of the English language have no difficulty in conducting bibliographic research versus 73,7% who have difficulty with it having poor level in English. Discussion: In different educational settings, when the language of instruction is different from the learner's native language, the potential language barrier can have an adverse effect on an individual's learning and professional life. French facilitates communication in medical and paramedical contexts, but students prefer to study medicine in English although most of them experience difficulties in bibliographic research, due to their poor command of medical terminology in English. Explaining diseases in Arabic to patients pose challenges in terms of achieving high levels of satisfaction among medical professionals and patients. Conclusion: Most students believe that English is the international language of science and current affairs, they, nevertheless, prefer to study in French. A large proportion of students feel that medical terminology in Arabic should be integrated into the medical curriculum to facilitate doctor-patient communication.