French Training

The French for Healthcare Professionals Program

Language in Communication Matters

Dialogue McGill is financially supporting McGill’s School of Continuing Studies to develop and offer a French language training program, French for Healthcare Professionals, tailored to health and social service professionals and intake staff in the Quebec.

Health and social services institutions can apply to receive funding that allows their eligible professionals and staff to increase their language proficiency by attending free French classes and conversation groups.

How it works

Part-time | 3 hours a week minimum | 8 weeks | Virtual and online

  1. Virtual face-to-face course (synchronous mode) | 24 hours total

    Delivered by a teacher on a fixed date, at a specific time, 3 hours per week, for a period of 8 weeks. These courses focus on oral communication.

  2. Self-directed online courses (asynchronous mode) | 24 hours total

    Divided into 4 modules spread out over an 8-week period. Each module lasts approximately 2 weeks and consists in structured learning units that allow students to work independently (lessons, exercises, pronunciation, listening, reference material, etc.) and to communicate with a tutor.

Language proficiency test

A language proficiency test is given to determine the current French-language skills of the program’s candidates.

Five fluency levels

  • Basic

  • Elementary

  • Low Intermediate

  • High Intermediate

  • Advanced

The program consists of two courses at each level (students must pass both courses to move to the next level).

Schedule

Please refer to the French for Healthcare Professionals website for detailed course information and schedules.

Request for Funding

Health and social services institutions are responsible for submitting a proposal to Dialogue McGill to request the required budget in order for their eligible personnel to take the courses for free. This proposal is submitted at the beginning of each funding phase.

If an institution is approved for funding, they are responsible for:

  • promoting the courses internally;

  • collecting the names of employees who are in contact with English-speaking clientele and who would like to develop their language skills;

  • ensuring that the eligible employees complete the placements tests;

  • registering the employees as per calendar provided by the McGill School of Continuing Studies.

Contact langue.dialoguemcgill@mcgill.ca for more information.

Eligibility

Professionals and staff who provide direct services to French-speaking patients in their workplace and who received pre-approval from their supervisor and institution respondent to enroll in the course.

Three broad categories of employees are eligible:

Intake Personnel

Health Personnel

Psychosocial Personnel

Recruitment and Selection

Health and social services institutions are responsible for the recruitment and selection of eligible participants to enroll in the French for Healthcare Professionals Program based on a Dialogue McGill pre-approved annual budget.

Contact us or visit the French for healthcare professionals website for more information on the courses and how to register.

Need Additional Funding?

Currently participating institutions who have several requests for enrollments in language training courses can submit a proposal requesting additional Dialogue McGill funding.

Please contact us for more information.

Other Language Activities

Language activities for health and social services professionals and students are also provided by Dialogue McGill’s partners. These activities can include activities such as French mentorship. These language-based activities allow professionals and students to practice speaking in an informal, relaxed environment.

An Award-Winning Program

In 2017, the School of Continuing Studies program won a ‘‘Prix d’excellence’’ of L’Association canadienne d’éducation des adultes des universités de langue française (ACDEAULF).

In 2018, the School of Continuing Studies won a second ‘‘Prix d’excellence’’, this time from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE).