Offered in collaboration with the Francophone Affairs Office of the Faculty of Medicine, these courses will help you improve your French in real, professional medical contexts.
French as a second language courses Faculty of Medicine
Would you like to feel more confident speaking French in your workplace?
Whether you're a medical student, resident, researcher, physician, or administrative staff member, these courses are designed for you.
Whether you're a medical student, resident, researcher, physician, or administrative staff member, these courses are designed for you.
Enrollment requirements
- You are eligible to take our classes, if you fit these requirements:
- You are affiliated with:
- uOttawa Faculty of Medicine,
- Montfort Hospital
- Ottawa Hospital
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario
- You are a:
- Medical student or resident
- Professor
- Researcher
- Physician
- Support staff (employee)
- You are affiliated with:
- You have completed the online placement test to determine which courses you’re eligible to enroll in. A non-refundable fee of $33 may apply.
Overview
Our French classes are offered in autumn and winter sessions and last around 12 weeks. Please find below our overall classes and their level.
Beginner (F0-F1)
We recommend beginner class if you:
- Have no prior knowledge of French
- Want to develop your language skills from the ground up
- Need a class focused on all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing
Class options
Autumn: FLS1700 and FLS2622-MD (for support staff only)
Winter: FLS1700 and FLS2621-MD (for support staff only)
Learn more about our courses – Fall 2025
Class options for health specialists (from October 2 to December 11):
FLS1700
Initiation to basic French
(Thursdays 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
Introduction to basic French focussing on all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Listening practice with audio/audiovisual materials. Reading practice with short texts. Basic conversation practice and short writing tasks. Authentic material drawn from the health sciences context will be used wherever possible. Individual and group practice. This course is designed for individuals with no prior knowledge of French.
FLS1710-A
Elementary written and oral comprehension
(Thursdays 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
Basic French for “false-beginners” focussing on reading and listening skills. Listening practice with audio/audiovisual materials. Reading practice with short texts. Authentic material drawn from health care contexts will be used wherever possible. Individual and group practice. This course is designed for individuals with some basic knowledge of French.
FLS2810-A
Intermediate oral comprehension and expression
(Thursdays 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
Revision and systematization of French language rules and their application to oral comprehension and production activities (pronunciation, spelling-pronunciation relationship, oral grammar, and active vocabulary) focused on oral comprehension and production strategies, practical comprehension and oral expression exercises: free conversations, short presentations, role-plays, activities based on authentic communication tasks from the healthcare sector. Individual practice.
FLS3810-A
Advanced oral comprehension and expression
(Thursdays 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
Advanced revision of listening comprehension and speaking strategies with an introduction to critical evaluation and the expression of opinions and feelings. Advanced use of texts of varying length and difficulty with note-taking and summary exercises. Practice in speaking through: imitation of complex models, structured discussions, comments, and oral presentations. Study and practice of oral comprehension and communication in familiar and semi-formal registers. Reinforcement of grammatical and lexical knowledge. All related to the field of health.
Class options for support staff (employees) of the Faculty of medicine:
FLS2622-MD
Beginner/Elementary oral comprehension and expression
(From September 30 to December 16) – Tuesdays 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Revision and systematization of French language rules and their application to oral comprehension and production activities (pronunciation, spelling-phonetics, oral grammar, and active vocabulary) focused on oral comprehension and production strategies, practical comprehension and oral expression exercises: free conversation, short presentations, role-playing, activities based on authentic communication tasks from the university administrative environment. Individual practice.
FLS3622-MD
Intermediate/Advanced oral comprehension and expression
(From October 2 to December 18) – Thursdays 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Revision and systematization of French language rules and their application to oral comprehension and production activities (pronunciation, spelling-pronunciation relationship, oral grammar, and active vocabulary) focused on oral comprehension and production strategies, practical comprehension and oral expression exercises: free conversation, short presentations, role-playing, activities based on authentic communication tasks from the university administrative environment. Individual practice.
Practice your French at the Julien Couture Resource Centre
The Julien Couture Resource Centre (JCRC) offers workshops and conversation partners in English and French to help you start or continue your language journey in a relaxed and stimulating environment. Come put your skills to the test with the help of our student facilitators!
Learn more about the centre
Contact us
Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI)
70 Laurier Avenue East
Room 130
Ottawa ON K1N 6N5
Canada
Tel. : 613-562-5743
Fax. : 613-562-5126
[email protected]
Admissions
If you have any trouble enrolling in a class, please contact [email protected]
For questions about the courses, we suggest contacting OLBI at [email protected]
For any technical issues, you can always reach out to Medtech at Sign in to your account
We thank you for choosing our classes.