Free course · All 12 modules open

门诊中文 Professional Mandarin for the Front Desk and Medical Assistants

A speaking course for the clinic front desk and medical assistants. Twelve modules, from the first hello to checkout and the hardest conversations. It covers check-in, registration, insurance and costs, scheduling, waiting, vital signs, intake, medicines and allergies, procedures, referrals, portal and video and checkout.

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A smiling receptionist welcoming an older Chinese couple at a bright clinic front desk

The twelve modules

One clinic day and the conversations around it. Each module has vocabulary with flash cards, scripts, dialogues, role-plays, a Knowledge Check, homework and a printable phrase sheet.

  1. Module 1前台报到 Greetings and Check-in Welcome patients at the front desk in Mandarin: greet them, confirm who they are and their appointment, check them in, and settle them in to wait. 21 lessons
  2. Module 2登记表格 Registration, Forms and ID Register a new patient in Mandarin: the forms, ID and contact details, what the signatures mean, and kind help for anyone who can’t read the forms. 25 lessons
  3. Module 3保险费用 Insurance, Copays and Costs Explain insurance and costs at the front desk in Mandarin: copays, deductibles and coinsurance, networks and referrals, estimates and payment options. The plans are American; a note covers Canadian clinics. 25 lessons
  4. Module 4预约电话 Scheduling, Reminders and the Phone Book, change and confirm appointments in Mandarin, in person and by phone: days and times, reminders, what to bring, and when a call is urgent. 25 lessons
  5. Module 5候诊 Waiting, Delays and Walk-ins Handle waiting in Mandarin: honest updates, apologies, walk-ins and late arrivals, and checking on a patient who looks worse. 25 lessons
  6. Module 6生命体征 Rooming and Vital Signs Room patients and take vital signs in Mandarin: calling them back, weight and height, blood pressure, temperature, pulse and oxygen, pain, gowns and privacy. 25 lessons
  7. Module 7问诊记录 Reason for Visit and History Take the reason for the visit and the history in Mandarin: symptoms, past and family history, habits and screening questions, asked with respect. 25 lessons
  8. Module 8用药过敏 Medicines and Allergies Review medicines and allergies in Mandarin: prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, supplements and herbs, doses read back, and each allergy’s reaction. 25 lessons
  9. Module 9检查操作 Samples, Tests and Injections Talk patients through samples, quick tests and injections in Mandarin: what you’re doing, how it will feel, and what happens next. 25 lessons
  10. Module 10转诊复诊 Referrals, Lab Orders and Follow-ups Explain referrals, lab and imaging orders, results and follow-ups in Mandarin, so that nothing falls through the cracks. 25 lessons
  11. Module 11网上门诊 The Patient Portal and Video Visits Help patients with the patient portal and video visits in Mandarin: signing up, codes and passwords, messages and results, and video visits that work. 25 lessons
  12. Module 12结账沟通 Checkout, Bills and Hard Conversations Close every visit well in Mandarin: checkout and next steps, notes and bills, complaints and hard conversations, and a warm goodbye. 25 lessons

Who it’s for

  • Front desk and reception staff
  • Medical assistants
  • Clinic and practice managers
  • Students in medical assisting programs

Some Mandarin helps, but every line has pinyin, English and audio, so you can start from the first lesson.

How it works

  1. Speak, don’t just readSay every phrase out loud. Silent reading does not build clinical fluency.
  2. Characters firstEvery term appears as 汉字, pinyin and English. Read the characters, check the pinyin, and use English only to confirm.
  3. Rehearse it liveRole-plays and drills are meant to be done out loud, with the English covered.
  4. Record and compareEach module ends with homework. Record yourself and compare week to week.

Earn a certificate

Pass a module’s Knowledge Check and get a certificate of completion you can print, save as a PDF or add to your LinkedIn profile.

A phrase every week

One clinical Mandarin phrase a week, with pinyin and a tip, plus a note when new modules open.

Get the phrase of the week

Practice with a real listener

A 1:1 session is the fastest way to turn these scripts into something you can say under pressure.

Book a 1:1 session

Start with Module 1

Finish it and you can greet and check in a patient in Mandarin.

Start the course