2A C MMUNICATI E Doctor, doctor
You're a family doctor. B is your patient. You're a patient. B is your family doctor.
You've just f inished medical school, and today is your You know your doctor very well because you make an
first day in this surgery. You feel very enthusiastic! At appointment to see him I her at least once a week.
medical school, they taught you to find out as much You're a favourite patient! You think of him I her as a
as you can about a patient when you first meet them. friend and that's why you call him I her by his I her first
You're a great believer in alternative medicine like name (Chris) and not Dr Jones.
homeopathy and acupuncture. You really believe t hat • Today, you've made an appointment with the doctor
some conditions can be better treated using alternative because you've got some very strange symptoms
remedies, e.g. hypnotherapy for people with phobias or (decide what they are), and you're convinced that you
weight problems. have a problem with your heart. You want the doctor
• Find out as much information as you can about the to take you seriously and agree with what you think
patient, e.g. age, job, family life, previous illnesses, is the problem.
operations, etc. • Explain all your symptoms to the doctor.
• Ask the reason for today's visit. Find out how long he I • Ask the doctor to check your blood pressure and
she's had this problem. take your pulse.
• You don't like the medicine the patient usually takes, • Tell him I her that you'd like to see a specialist. Be
Calmozone. You prefer a natural, homeopathic one prepared to argue with him I her if necessary.
called Tranquilium.
You start the conversation.
B will start. Hi Chris. How are you?
~-- .............
You're a patient. A is your family doctor. You're a family doctor. A is your patient.
You haven't been t o the doctor's for about a year, so You're fed up and exhausted! The government spending
you're really surprised to see t hat you have a new family cuts mean that today you've worked for eight hours
doctor. He I she's very young! What experience does he I on your own in the surgery and there's still paperwork
she have? You'd known your previous doctor all your to do. You want to go home! Unfortunately, you have
life. He knew all about your fear of flying and was very one more patient to see and he / she is a nightmare!
sympathetic to the problem. You're going on holiday He I she comes to see you at least once a week,
next week - by plane. Your old doctor always prescribed always with a different problem. You think he I she is
Calmozone, a tablet which relaxes you when you fly. a hypochondriac. For some reason, t his patient always
If you take two before the plane takes off, you don't calls you by your first name. You hate that!
feel nervous. You know what you want - Calmozone! • Ask him I her not to call you by your first name. Ask
If you don't get it, you can't go on holiday. You aren't him I her to call you Dr Jones.
very convinced by alternative remedies, especially • Ask him I her what his I her symptoms are (this
hypnotherapy and homeopathy! week!) and how long he I she has had them.
• Answer any questions the doctor asks you. Explain • Give your diagnosis (decide what you think) and
t he reason for today's visit. decide what medication (if any) to prescribe. You
• Ask t he doctor to prescribe Calmozone and explain don't think he I she needs to see a specialist.
why you need it.
A will start.
• Only accept an alternative remedy you feel
completely happy with. ~
You start the conversation.
Good morning doctor. You're new, aren't you?
English File 3rd edition Teacher's Book Upper-intermediate Photocopiable © Oxford University Press 2014
