Prescription for Proficiency: Enhancing EFL Speaking Skills in Pharmacy Education

Abstract

Effective communication is fundamental to pharmaceutical practice, especially for pharmacy professionals working in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) environments. This research investigates the influence of a specialized EFL speaking program aimed at improving the communication abilities of pharmacy students. A group of fifty male pharmacy diploma students participated in a three-month program cantered on role-play, task-based learning (TBL), and integrated vocabulary training. Assessments conducted before and after the course evaluated enhancements in confidence, clarity, use of pharmaceutical language, and fluency. The findings revealed statistically significant improvements across all measured aspects, with the use of pharmaceutical language showing the most notable enhancement (mean increase: 2.6 to 4.3, p < 0.001). These results emphasize the success of contextualized and hands-on methods in EFL teaching, showcasing the capacity of such initiatives to equip pharmacy students for the linguistic and professional requirements of their careers. The research underscores the necessity of integrated approaches that confront linguistic, cultural, and psychological hurdles in training for professional communication.