Day 30: Surviving the Chief's Ward Round
Early one morning at the university hospital in Kiel, Konstantin (B), a medical student in his final practical year, briefs Tim (A), a younger student on his first placement, before Tim's first round with the head of department.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a German word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native German, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Morgen, Konstantin. Stimmt es, dass Professor Harms bei der Chefvisite Famulanten vor versammelter Mannschaft abfragt?
Morning, Konstantin. Is it true that Professor Harms quizzes placement students in front of the whole team on his ward round?
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B
Nur wenn man ihm Anlass gibt. Regel eins: Beantworte nur Fragen, die ausdrücklich an dich gerichtet sind.
Only if you give him a reason. Rule one: only answer questions that are explicitly addressed to you.
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A
Und wenn der Oberarzt ins Schwimmen gerät und ich die Antwort weiß?
And what if the consultant starts floundering and I know the answer?
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B
Stünde ich an deiner Stelle, ich schwiege wie ein Grab. Wer vor dem Chef den Oberarzt verbessert, macht bis Ende der Famulatur alle Blutentnahmen.
Were I in your shoes, I'd be as silent as the grave. Anyone who corrects the consultant in front of the chief does all the bloods until the end of their placement.
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A
Also Mund zu und Kittel zu. Was muss ich über die Patienten wissen, falls er mich doch anspricht?
So mouth shut and coat buttoned. What do I need to know about the patients in case he does speak to me?
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B
Zimmer zwölf: der heute Nacht mit Luftnot aufgenommene Patient, Lungenembolie ausgeschlossen. Zimmer vierzehn: die seit fünf Tagen fiebernde Dame ohne Fokus, das Lieblingsrätsel vom Chef.
Room twelve: the patient admitted last night with shortness of breath, pulmonary embolism ruled out. Room fourteen: the lady who's had a fever for five days with no source found, the chief's favourite puzzle.
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A
Die hat mir gestern eine halbe Stunde von ihren Wellensittichen erzählt. Zwei sind letzten Monat einfach tot von der Stange gefallen.
She spent half an hour telling me about her budgies yesterday. Two of them simply dropped dead off their perch last month.
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B
Tote Vögel und Fieber ohne Fokus, das riecht nach Ornithose! Steht das irgendwo, oder weißt nur du davon?
Dead birds and a fever with no source, that smells like parrot fever! Is it written down anywhere, or are you the only one who knows?
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A
Steht in meinem Anamnesebogen, Seite zwei, ganz unten. Aber den von einem Famulanten ausgefüllten Bogen liest ja bekanntlich keiner.
It's on my history sheet, page two, right at the bottom. But as everyone knows, nobody reads a form filled in by a placement student.
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B
Heute erfährt es der Chef, und zwar von dir. Regel eins ist für Zimmer vierzehn ausgesetzt, und die Blutentnahmen übernehme ich.
Today the chief hears about it, and from you. Rule one is suspended for room fourteen, and I'll do the bloods.
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