Making a Doctor's Appointment: A Guide for ESL Students

When you need to make an appointment with a doctor, it can be kind of scary calling the doctor's office when you feel your English is not good enough to do so. Here are some helpful ideas to help you when you need to see the doctor.

First, write down the days and times that you are available to see the doctor. This can help the person who answers the phone find a good time for you to meet with the doctor. Also, write down what the problem is so that you can tell the receptionist (person who answers the phone). You don't have to be too specific in describing your problem; you just should be able to give a general idea of what is wrong.

The receptionist will ask you what your name is, when you would like to see the doctor, and what the nature (what kind of) of your problem is. If you are calling a doctor's office where more than one doctor works, you should know the name of the doctor you'd like to see. If you don't, the receptionist should be able to help you figure out the right doctor to see based on what your problem is and/or your schedule. You may have to see a doctor that can see you on the day and time you want to make your appointment.

Here is an example of a conversation you might have on the phone with the receptionist:

Receptionist: Dr. Smith's office. How can I help you?

You: I'd like to make an appointment to see Dr. Smith, please.

Receptionist: Okay. When are you available?

You: I'm available on Tuesday and Friday in the morning this week.

Receptionist: We have two openings on those days: Tuesday at 9:00 and Friday at 8:30. Which one would you like?

You: I'd like to make the appointment for Tuesday at 9:00, please.

Receptionist: Okay. What is your name?

You: My name is Daniel Moore.

Receptionist: Is this the first time that you've been to our office?

You: Yes.

Receptionist: What is the nature of your visit?

You: I have had a bad cold for over two weeks.

Receptionist: Okay, Mr. Moore. I have you in to see Dr. Smith on Tuesday at 9:00. Is there anything else I can help you with?

You: No. Thank you for your help. Bye.

Receptionist: Good-bye.

You can get some good listening practice here for making an appointment.

Also, be aware that many doctors' offices use automated voice systems to help them when someone cannot answer the phone. If you have to talk to an answering machine, be sure to leave your name, phone number, a good time to reach you, and what you want to talk about. Make your message short and clear. If you hear something like, "If you want to make an appointment, press 1. If you want to talk to the pharmacist, press 2. If you want to talk to the nurse, press 3. For all other inquiries, press 0," and you don't know what button to push, you can usually press 0 to speak to a real person. If you need to, hang up and call back again until you can understand what the message is saying. Here is a good lesson about dealing with automated voice systems when you are trying to call the doctor.

With practice, you'll be an expert at making doctor's appointments. Keep trying, and ask for help when you need it. You can do it!