Use of indigenous language for clinical clerkship: a cross-sectional survey in Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Doctors’ knowledge of the native language of their patients is important to effectively communicate with them. Aims: This paper aimed to explore the views and practices of medical students in Nigeria on the use of Yorùbá (an indigenous language) in their clinical clerkship. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of students in two medical colleges in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Results: The study included 312 medical students, 176 males and 136 females. Most students (70.8%) used Yorùbá in their clinical clerkship despite learning medicine in English. Only 16.0% of the students relied on interpreters. None of the students had had exposure to language training in the course of their medical education. Most of the students (73.7%) supported the incorporation of indigenous language training into the medical school curriculum, and agreed that teaching indigenous languages in medical school would enhance communication skills. Conclusions: Incorporation of indigenous language training into the medical school curriculum in Nigeria is recommended to help overcome language barriers in clinical practice.