University to revive Irish language medical module

Plans are underway to revive the Teanga an Leighis Irish language medical module at the University of Galway, this newspaper understands.

Teanga an Leighis was a special study module (SSM) for second-year medical students, which ended with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. A recent paper in the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ), titled ‘Experiences and perceptions of physicians utilising the Irish Language’, suggests that reinstating the module could enhance healthcare provision in the Irish language.

The IMJ paper, published in April, surveyed the views of doctors proficient in Irish or practising in Gaeltacht areas. Many expressed a strong desire for improved training pathways for those wishing to practise through Irish, indicating that reviving Teanga an Leighis would be beneficial.

The module aimed to bolster medical students’ Irish language skills for patient interactions. “Over the course of the module, students spent weekends in a nursing home in a Gaeltacht area,” a University of Galway spokesperson told the Medical Independent. “They focused on patient history, pain management, consent, and medical treatment, and were required to write a reflective essay upon completion.” The spokesperson confirmed that all SSMs, including Teanga an Leighis, were suspended during the pandemic to prioritise core medical modules and clinical skills. However, the University of Galway is currently reviewing its medical curriculum, with plans to reintroduce Teanga an Leighis in the 2025/2026 academic year under the theme ‘The patient and their journey in the healthcare system’.