Middlesex CC Offers New Course for Healthcare Professionals

At Middlesex Community College, lifelong learning enhances professional and personal lives. Part of the college’s Community Education and Training division, MCC’s new Medical Terminology for Everyone course helps participants set themselves up for success – whether they are starting a career in healthcare or hoping to communicate better in a hospital setting.

The course was created by Davi-Ellen Chabner, who has taught for several years in a variety of educational settings, including in both Washington D.C. and Boston. Her goal is to combine theoretical learning with practical applications and real-life stories to make the medical language easier to understand.

“I’m explaining the language and giving them a foundation to take that forward in their jobs or in their regular lives, so that this language is useful,” Chabner said. “Not only if you’re going into the field, but also if you’re going into a doctor’s office as a patient or family member. If the doctor is speaking a language you’ve never heard before, you need to know a little about it so you can ask the right questions and understand the treatment.”

In her experience, Chabner has had many people take the class who are starting out in a health field or are looking to improve their communication skills. She has also had several doctors come from different countries wanting to improve their understanding of the English language.

Chabner describes many of her students as being on the frontlines of giving patients information about what they are going through. In her course, she strives to teach them how the language is constructed so that even if they do not memorize every term, they can figure out different words on their own.

“The course is very practical,” Chabner said. “It’s not just about learning terms, it’s putting them in the context of a patient setting. This course is a stepping stone and will help students pursue a career in a health field.”

Chabner first got into teaching when her children were in school. After being contacted by the National Institutes of Health to teach their employees the language of medicine, she researched as much as she could on the subject matter. Along with her students, she learned more about how the body works, what happens when someone gets sick, and the language used to understand all of the steps involved.

With a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Physiology from Wellesley College, Chabner holds a master’s degree in Science Teaching from Harvard University. Her book “The Language of Medicine,” is in its twelfth edition and is intended as a resource for students to use both during and after the course finishes.

Coming out of the pandemic, Chabner is excited to bring the course to MCC. “I teach students step-by-step how to study and learn,” she said. “It makes me feel good when they understand something.”