Medical English: 40 Essential Phrases for Taiwan Professionals (2026) | 醫療英文

醫療英文 (medical English) is the vocabulary gap that turns a routine clinic visit into a stressful guessing game — and in Taiwan’s increasingly international healthcare environment, it matters more than ever. The National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) International Medical Center handled over 48,000 foreign patient visits in 2024. Taipei City has more than 90,000 registered foreign nationals, and every major hospital from Mackay to Chang Gung now employs English-speaking physicians and international nursing staff. Whether you’re accompanying a foreign colleague to the doctor, working in a clinical setting, or simply navigating Taiwan’s NHI system with an expat partner, 40 medical English phrases will carry you through 90% of real-world healthcare conversations.

This guide organizes those 40 phrases by situation — from booking an appointment to describing pain, understanding a diagnosis, and handling a genuine emergency. Each phrase comes with context and an example line you can use immediately.

Making Appointments 醫療預約 (8 Phrases)

The first moment of friction is almost always the phone call or front-desk exchange. These eight phrases get you through registration smoothly.

Phrase 1: “I’d like to make an appointment with a general practitioner.”

When to use it: Calling a clinic or hospital reception for a non-emergency visit. In Taiwan, specify general practitioner (家庭醫學科) or the specialty directly.

Example: “I’d like to make an appointment with a general practitioner — is Monday afternoon available?”

Phrase 2: “I was referred by Dr. Chen.”

When to use it: When you have a referral slip (轉診單) from another physician, especially when moving from a clinic to a regional or teaching hospital under the NHI tiered system.

Example: “I was referred by Dr. Chen at the Xinyi clinic. I have the referral letter here.”

Phrase 3: “Do you have an English-speaking doctor available?”

When to use it: Booking on behalf of a foreign colleague or when your patient’s Chinese is limited. Most NTUH and Taipei Veterans General Hospital departments can confirm English availability in advance.

Example: “Do you have an English-speaking doctor available on Friday? My colleague is visiting from the US.”

Phrase 4: “I’d like to register as a new patient.”

When to use it: First visit to any clinic. In Taiwan, bring your NHI card (健保卡) and, for foreigners, an ARC or passport.

Example: “I’d like to register as a new patient. I have my NHI card and ID ready.”

Phrase 5: “Can I book an appointment online or through the app?”

When to use it: Major hospitals including NTUH, Mackay, and Shin Kong all offer online booking. Ask this at registration to avoid future phone calls.

Example: “Can I book my follow-up appointment online, or do I need to call?”

Phrase 6: “How long is the wait time?”

When to use it: Walk-in situations or when arriving early to a busy OPD (門診). Taiwan hospitals display queue numbers on screens, but confirming in English saves confusion.

Example: “I just registered — how long is the wait time for the orthopedics clinic?”

Phrase 7: “I need to cancel and reschedule my appointment.”

When to use it: Cancelling 24+ hours ahead avoids a no-show fee at private hospitals. NHI clinics generally have no penalty but appreciate the courtesy.

Example: “I need to cancel and reschedule my appointment for Thursday. Can I move it to next week?”

Phrase 8: “Does this clinic accept National Health Insurance?”

When to use it: Some specialized private clinics or wellness centers operate outside the NHI system. Always confirm before booking to avoid unexpected full-price billing.

Example: “Does this clinic accept National Health Insurance, or is it private pay only?”

Describing Symptoms 描述症狀 (8 Phrases)

Describing pain and symptoms precisely is the most critical medical English skill. Vague answers delay diagnosis. These eight phrases give doctors exactly what they need.

Phrase 9: “I have a sharp / dull / throbbing / burning pain in my ___.”

When to use it: Every pain description. The four adjectives — sharp (刺痛), dull (悶痛), throbbing (脈動痛), burning (灼痛) — map to distinct clinical meanings and change the diagnostic path.

Example: “I have a sharp pain in my lower right abdomen that started last night.”

Phrase 10: “The pain comes and goes / is constant.”

When to use it: Duration and pattern matter as much as intensity. Intermittent pain (陣痛) vs. constant pain (持續疼痛) suggest very different conditions.

Example: “The pain comes and goes — it’s worse after meals and usually lasts about 20 minutes.”

Phrase 11: “On a scale of one to ten, the pain is about a ___.”

When to use it: Doctors universally use the numeric pain scale (NRS). Giving a number immediately helps triage and avoids the cultural tendency to understate pain.

Example: “On a scale of one to ten, the pain is about a seven — it’s hard to concentrate.”

Phrase 12: “I’ve been feeling this way for ___ days / weeks.”

When to use it: Duration is always the first follow-up question. Give a specific number, not “a while” or “recently.”

Example: “I’ve been feeling this way for about five days. It’s getting worse, not better.”

Phrase 13: “I also have a fever / chills / nausea / fatigue.”

When to use it: Associated symptoms (伴隨症狀) narrow the differential. Mention all of them even if they seem unrelated — let the doctor decide what’s relevant.

Example: “I also have a fever of about 38.5 and I’ve been feeling nauseated since this morning.”

Phrase 14: “The pain gets worse when I ___ / gets better when I ___.”

When to use it: Aggravating and relieving factors are key diagnostic clues. Be specific about posture, activity, eating, or time of day.

Example: “The pain gets worse when I breathe deeply and gets better when I sit forward.”

Phrase 15: “I have a known allergy to ___.”

When to use it: Critical safety phrase. State drug allergies (藥物過敏) before any prescription is written. The most common ones for Taiwan patients to know in English: penicillin, aspirin, sulfa drugs, iodine contrast.

Example: “I have a known allergy to penicillin — I break out in hives.”

Phrase 16: “I’m currently taking ___ for ___.”

When to use it: Drug interactions (藥物交互作用) are a leading cause of preventable harm. List all current medications, including supplements and traditional Chinese medicine (中藥).

Example: “I’m currently taking metformin for diabetes and a statin for cholesterol.”

At the Clinic / Examination Room 診間 (8 Phrases)

Once you’re in the room with the doctor or nurse, these phrases help you participate actively in the exam rather than nodding and hoping for the best.

Phrase 17: “Where exactly should I feel the pain when you press here?”

When to use it: During physical palpation (觸診). Confirming you understand the question avoids false positive or negative findings from miscommunication.

Phrase 18: “Could you explain that in simpler terms?”

When to use it: Whenever a doctor uses clinical terminology. This is not a sign of weakness — it’s what informed patients do. Doctors respect it.

Example: “Could you explain that in simpler terms? I heard ‘dyspnea’ but I’m not sure what that means for me.”

Phrase 19: “Do I need to fast before the blood test?”

When to use it: Before any lab order. Fasting requirements (空腹) vary by test type, and going to the lab fed can invalidate results for lipid panels and glucose.

Phrase 20: “Is this procedure covered by NHI?”

When to use it: Before agreeing to any scan, lab, or procedure. Some advanced imaging (MRI for non-acute cases) and certain tests are partially or fully self-pay (自費) in Taiwan’s NHI system.

Phrase 21: “What are the risks of this procedure?”

When to use it: Before signing informed consent (同意書). Taiwanese medical culture sometimes skips this step with local patients — asserting it in English signals you want full disclosure.

Phrase 22: “Can I get a copy of my medical records / test results?”

When to use it: You have a legal right to your records in Taiwan. Ask for a printed or digital copy before leaving if you plan to seek a second opinion or share with a specialist abroad.

Phrase 23: “Is this contagious? Should I stay home from work?”

When to use it: For respiratory illness, skin conditions, or any infection. Knowing isolation guidelines (隔離規定) matters both for your workplace and your NHI sick-leave paperwork.

Phrase 24: “When should I come back if things don’t improve?”

When to use it: Always ask this before leaving. Get a specific answer — “if it’s not better in three days” is more useful than “if you feel worse.” This phrase prevents dangerous waiting.

Understanding Your Diagnosis 了解診斷 (8 Phrases)

Phrase 25: “What does this diagnosis mean for my daily life?”

When to use it: Immediately after hearing the diagnosis name. Clinical labels (e.g., “costochondritis,” “GERD,” “plantar fasciitis”) often need translation into practical life impact before they’re useful.

Phrase 26: “Is this condition chronic or will it resolve on its own?”

When to use it: Critical for managing expectations and planning. The answer changes how seriously you take follow-up appointments and lifestyle changes.

Phrase 27: “What happens if I don’t treat this?”

When to use it: When evaluating whether to proceed with a recommended treatment or take a watch-and-wait approach. Some conditions are urgent; others are not.

Phrase 28: “Are there lifestyle changes that would help?”

When to use it: For any chronic, metabolic, or musculoskeletal condition. Diet, sleep, and exercise modifications are often more effective than medication — but doctors may not volunteer this unless asked.

Phrase 29: “I’d like to get a second opinion before proceeding.”

When to use it: Before any surgery, major treatment, or significant diagnosis. This is standard practice in Western medicine and increasingly accepted in Taiwan’s larger hospitals.

Phrase 30: “What are the treatment options, and what do you recommend?”

When to use it: When more than one path exists. The two-part question is important — you want to know the landscape of options and the doctor’s clinical judgment.

Phrase 31: “Should I see a specialist for this?”

When to use it: When your GP raises a concern that may need subspecialty evaluation. In Taiwan’s tiered NHI system, a GP referral to a regional hospital specialist is usually required for coverage.

Phrase 32: “Can you write that down for me?”

When to use it: For any diagnosis name, medication name, or instruction that you need to remember or research later.

Getting a Prescription 拿藥 (4 Phrases)

Phrase 33: “How should I take this — with food or on an empty stomach?”

When to use it: At the pharmacy window (藥局). Absorption rates vary significantly for many common drugs depending on food intake.

Phrase 34: “What are the common side effects I should watch for?”

When to use it: For any new medication, especially antibiotics, steroids, or antihypertensives. Knowing what to expect prevents unnecessary alarm — or missed warning signs.

Phrase 35: “Can I refill this prescription without seeing the doctor again?”

When to use it: For chronic condition medications. Taiwan’s NHI allows chronic disease prescription refills (慢性病連續處方箋) up to 3 months without a new visit.

Phrase 36: “Is there a generic version available?”

When to use it: When cost is a factor. Generic drugs (學名藥) in Taiwan are regulated for bioequivalence and are significantly cheaper than brand-name equivalents.

Emergency English 緊急英文 (4 Phrases)

In a genuine emergency, every second matters. Memorize these four phrases so they come out automatically under stress.

Phrase 37: “Call an ambulance — this is an emergency.”

Taiwan’s emergency number is 119 for ambulance and fire. Say this loudly and clearly to a bystander while pointing directly at them.

Phrase 38: “He / she is having a heart attack / stroke / severe allergic reaction.”

Naming the suspected condition at the ER triage desk (急診掛號) gets you into the right treatment pathway immediately.

Phrase 39: “I need an EpiPen — I have a severe allergy.”

If you or a companion carries an EpiPen (腎上腺素自動注射器), use this phrase to alert medical staff before they see the device, reducing response time.

Phrase 40: “I have [condition] — please check my medical ID.”

If you have a serious pre-existing condition (diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease), carry a medical ID card or use iPhone’s Medical ID feature (accessible from the lock screen).

Quick Reference: All 40 Medical English Phrases 醫療英文速查表

Taiwan-Specific Tips: NHI, NTUH, and Navigating the System 台灣醫療系統實用提示

1. Carry Your NHI Card (健保卡) at All Times

Taiwan’s National Health Insurance card is required at every clinic and hospital visit for NHI coverage. Without it, you pay full price upfront and apply for reimbursement later. Foreign colleagues without NHI will need to pay out of pocket — costs are still reasonable (a specialist visit is typically NT$300–NT$500 co-pay).

2. Use NTUH’s International Medical Center (台大國際醫療中心)

National Taiwan University Hospital’s International Medical Center on Zhongshan South Road offers fully English-language outpatient consultations with translated records and international insurance billing. Call: (02) 2312-3456 ext. 63089. This is the first recommendation to give expat colleagues who need a reliable English-speaking entry point.

3. The Tiered Referral System (分級醫療)

Taiwan operates a three-tier system: clinics (診所) → district hospitals (地區醫院) → regional and medical centers (區域醫院/醫學中心). NHI co-pays are lower at lower tiers. For non-urgent issues, start at a local clinic and use phrases 2 and 31 to navigate the referral path.

4. Pharmacies Are Open Late — and Stocked

Taiwan’s 健保藥局 (NHI pharmacies) often operate until 9–10 PM. You can take any prescription to any NHI pharmacy — you’re not locked into the hospital’s own pharmacy. Use phrase 36 to ask about lower-cost generics.

Conclusion

醫療英文 is not about becoming fluent in pharmacology. It’s about having 40 reliable phrases ready so that a stressful medical situation doesn’t also become a language crisis. Start with the section most relevant to your work — and come back to the quick reference table before your next English-language clinic visit.

Want to practice? Download our free Medical English ESL Worksheet (Elementary) or the Intermediate version — classroom-ready PDF with vocabulary matching, true/false, and comprehension questions.