Medical Finnish FAQ

We have had a lot of good questions from our customers concerning our unique Medical Finnish language courses and also about being a healthcare professional in Finland. Here listed are some of the most commonly asked questions and our replies to them. We will update this post regularly.

Online language courses

Q: Is Suomea Sairaalaympäristössä equivalent to studying Finnish on other language courses?
A: Our courses are designed to teach you Finnish from the basics to the required skill level for working in Finnish healthcare. In addition, we provide guidance on how to train and sign up for the YKI test.

Q: What if I’m not able to participate in all of the online lessons?
A: All the lessons are recorded and students are able to watch them on our learning platform.

Q: Why should I take this and not a regular language course?
A: Our Suomea sairaalaympäristössä courses will prepare doctors and other healthcare professionals for work in their field in Finland including participating in possible licensing examinations.

Q: How is learning online different from the classroom?
A: We keep our study groups small so that studying is intensive and allows all of the students the opportunity to communicate during our online sessions.

Q: After which course can I apply for the nursing school, ambulance driver school, etc?
A: YKI3 is the commonly required language level for the Finnish healthcare sector. In our courses, you learn the language and its use in a medical environment. After that, you will participate in official language tests.

Q: I have A2.2 language level, can I start with course 1B?
A: Yes, It is possible to only take courses 1B and 2 if you have already been studying Finnish.

Q: What programs or other tools do I need to have to participate in the courses?
A: Before the course begins you need to have a desktop computer, laptop, or tablet. We use Zoom Cloud Meetings for our online lessons and you will need a word processor like Microsoft Word for some activities. We also recommend having a headset for online lessons. All the study materials are on our learning platform.

Q: Is Finnish a difficult language to learn?
A: It’s really not as difficult as you might have heard. Finnish is logical and follows simple grammar rules. Our courses support learning grammar through the student’s own life and future working life in Finnish healthcare.

Q: Is the course suitable for my specialization?
A: The course includes a wide range of materials from the healthcare industry, vocabulary, and operating models. The aim is to enable healthcare professionals to adjust to Finnish working life, interact with patients, and find employment as easy as possible.

↓ Keep reading below ↓

Q: Are Suomea sairaalaympäristössä language courses focusing on healthcare in general or only on the specific vocabulary that doctors or nurses need?
A: Courses focus on general healthcare in Finland, including special vocabulary for healthcare professionals. The main idea is to give our students the tools for easily integrating into the Finnish healthcare system, as well as communicating with Finns. In course 1A, students will learn grammar so that speaking and writing will be easy in real-life situations. In course 1B, besides the grammar, students will learn about patient care, emergency situations, physical conditions and psychological symptoms. In course 2 students will go even deeper into regulations, laws, and medical information systems that guide the work of healthcare professionals.

Q: Even though I already have good Finnish language skills and speak Finnish on a daily basis, I still want to improve my communication skills. Which course is right for me?
A: We also have an online, personalized intensive grammar course for healthcare professionals that are already working in Finland. To find out more, visit our Kielenhuoltokurssi page.

Q: I’m not a healthcare professional, is there a suitable course to help me pass the YKI test?
A: Suomea sairaalaympäristössä Finnish language courses were created for healthcare professionals and have lots of detailed specific information for them as well as vocabulary. In the future, we plan to launch an online language course package for non-healthcare students that are aiming to achieve YKI 3-4 language skill level. Get in touch and we will let you know when we have a specific date and pricing. Until then, we provide Private Finnish language lessons to help you further your studies.

Q: How long will I have access to the course study materials?
A: Access to each course and their study materials is valid for one (1) year.

Course Payment

Q: Can I pay in installments?
A: Each course can be paid for in installments and there is no extra cost. Contact us for more information.

Q: How the online store works?
A: After you make your order, we will contact you within 24 hours (Mon-Fri, 8 am-4 pm) to provide guidance for the course and add you to the learning platform.

Being a doctor in Finland

Q: How can I become a doctor in Finland?
A: You can see the path to become a doctor or a nurse in Finland from our blog post or in our demo environment. The path varies depending on your work experience and studies. For a person that has studied/worked earlier inside the EU/ETA area, the path is shorter.

 

If you haven’t tried out our demo environment yet we strongly recommend it. From there, you can find more information about all of these topics.