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EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE OF THE LATIN LANGUAGE IN MEDICAL EDUCATION


pdfTetiana Hromko
Doctor of Philology, Associate Professor,
Professor at the Department of English Philology and Translation,
Ukrainian-German Educational and Scientific Institute,
National University «Odessa Polytechnic»,
Odessa, Ukraine
e-mail: hromkot@gmail.com
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4661-4302
Scopus ID: 59660485900

Yevheniia Hromko
Master’s Degree Student,
The 1st Medical Faculty, Kharkiv National Medical University
Bachelor’s Degree Student, Institute
of Distance and Correspondence Education
National University «Odessa Polytechnic»,
Odessa, Ukraine
e-mail: yevheniiahromko@gmail.com
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2454-4608
Scopus ID: 58808639600

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24195/2616-5317-2025-40.7


SUMMARY

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the role of the Latin language in the system of professional medical education across continental Europe and in English-speaking countries. Based on a comparative approach, the study explores the historical origins of Latin as the academic language of medicine, its normative and legal foundations in university statutes and European legislative acts, as well as current educational strategies that ensure its preservation and adaptation to new educational realities. Particular attention is paid to the continuing significance of Latin in shaping the terminological, cognitive, and cultural competencies of future medical professionals and specialized translators, despite its displacement from direct clinical communication. The article compares approaches to teaching Latin in the universities of Germany, Poland, Italy, and France – where Latin remains a part of core curricula – with those of English-speaking countries (such as the United Kingdom and the United States), where its role is reduced to a terminological component. For the first time in Ukrainian academic discourse, the international experience of certifying Latin instructors for medical institutions is synthesized, especially within the context of digital and distance education. The study describes innovative teaching methods (modular structuring, gamification, case-based learning) that combine traditional philological foundations with the practical needs of modern medical terminology. It is argued that Latin serves as a vital tool for interdisciplinary and intercultural professional development, and that its preservation as a subject of instruction contributes to the harmonization of educational standards within the European Higher Education Area.


Key words: Latin language, medical education, terminological competence, interdisciplinary approach, European educational models, translator training, digitalization of education.


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