Abstract The overarching goal of medical internship is to provide newly qualified doctors (NQDs) with work-based learning opportunities to gain experience of clinical practice under supervision, while gradually assuming greater independent responsibility. In South Africa, this often stressful period of potentially transformative learning is additionally complicated by issues of language. This article, based on a narrative study that explored NQDs’ experiences, focuses on two of the NQDs’ responses to multilingual learning environments encountered in clinical practice. We report on the journeys of these doctors as they faced a similar language-related dilemma on transitioning to internship, to which each responded very differently due to their individual habitus. In the context of eleven official languages in South Africa, learning opportunities for medical interns are likely to be influenced by linguistic dispositions and capability to communicate in the prevalent language of medical practice in a specific region. The study found that the trajectories of the two NQDs had also been profoundly influenced by the collective sociocultural dispositions in clinical practice environments. This article argues that, in addition to gaining medical knowledge, in order to construct positive identities as doctors, graduates should be better prepared for the contextual, cultural and linguistic aspects of medical practice.

中文翻译：

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南非遇到语言相关困境的新合格医生的处置

摘要医学实习的首要目标是为新任资格的医生（NQD）提供基于工作的学习机会，以在监督下获得临床实践经验，同时逐步承担更大的独立责任。在南非，这种可能带来变革性学习的通常充满压力的时期还会因语言问题而变得更加复杂。本文基于叙事研究，探讨了NQD的经验，重点介绍了NQD对临床实践中遇到的多语言学习环境的两种响应。我们报告了这些医生的旅程，因为他们在过渡到实习中面临着与语言相关的类似难题，由于他们的习惯，每个人对它们的反应都非常不同。在南非使用十一种官方语言时，医学实习生的学习机会可能会受到语言倾向和在特定地区以医学实践流行语言进行交流的能力的影响。研究发现，两个NQD的轨迹也受到临床实践环境中集体社会文化倾向的深刻影响。本文认为，除了获得医学知识之外，为了树立积极的医生身份，毕业生还应该为医学实践的语境，文化和语言方面做好更好的准备。研究发现，两个NQD的轨迹也受到临床实践环境中集体社会文化倾向的深刻影响。本文认为，除了获得医学知识之外，为了树立积极的医生身份，毕业生还应该为医学实践的语境，文化和语言方面做好更好的准备。研究发现，两个NQD的轨迹也受到临床实践环境中集体社会文化倾向的深刻影响。本文认为，除了获得医学知识之外，为了树立积极的医生身份，毕业生还应该为医学实践的语境，文化和语言方面做好更好的准备。