Abi Raad, VandaRaad, KareemDaaboul, YazanKorjian, SergeAsmar, NadiaJammal, MouinAoun Bahous, Sola2016-12-022016Abi Raad, Vanda, Kareem Raad, Yazan Daaboul, Serge Korjian, Nadia Asmar, Mouin Jammal, and Sola Aoun Bahous. 2016. “Medical education in a foreign language and history-taking in the native language in Lebanon – a nationwide survey.” BMC Medical Education 16 (1): 298. doi:10.1186/s12909-016-0826-7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12909-016-0826-7.1472-6920http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:29626093Background: With the adoption of the English language in medical education, a gap in clinical communication may develop in countries where the native language is different from the language of medical education. This study investigates the association between medical education in a foreign language and students’ confidence in their history-taking skills in their native language. Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of a 17-question survey among medical students in clinical clerkships of Lebanese medical schools. The relationship between the language of medical education and confidence in conducting a medical history in Arabic (the native language) was evaluated (n = 457). Results: The majority (88.5%) of students whose native language was Arabic were confident they could conduct a medical history in Arabic. Among participants enrolled in the first clinical year, high confidence in Arabic history-taking was independently associated with Arabic being the native language and with conducting medical history in Arabic either in the pre-clinical years or during extracurricular activities. Among students in their second clinical year, however, these factors were not associated with confidence levels. Conclusions: Despite having their medical education in a foreign language, the majority of students in Lebanese medical schools are confident in conducting a medical history in their native language.en-USMedical educationHistory-takingNative languageSelf-reported confidence levelSurveyJournal Article2016-12-0210.1186/s12909-016-0826-7