Comparative Analysis of Medical Students’ English for Specific Purposes Course Needs at State and Foundation Universities

Abstract

This study investigates the English for Medical Purposes (EMP) needs of medical students in Türkiye through a quantitative needs analysis scale conducted at a state and a foundation university. Data were collected from 156 medical students using a validated needs analysis scale developed by Dağ Akbaş (2017). Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were employed to examine students’ purposes for learning English, skill-specific needs, preferred learning environments, and assessment preferences, as well as institutional differences. Findings display that students mainly associate English with academic success, access to English medical literature, and future professional communication settings. Receptive skills, primarily reading medical texts and listening to authentic medical discourse, were prioritized over oral interaction. While students from both universities report largely similar needs, students at the foundation university reported a higher emphasis on language exam performance and classroom oral interaction. The findings highlight the significance of a discipline-driven EMP course, serving students’ academic needs while emphasizing the impact of institutional context on specific language learning priorities.