Name of the research center: Center for Applied Linguistics and Comparative Cultural Studies/ acronym C-CLASC

Director of the research center: Associate Professor Diana Boc – Sînmărghițan

Date of establishment/acknowledgement: 05.03.2021

Research Directions/Opportunities

The Center for Applied Linguistic Research and Comparative Cultural Studies functions as an interdisciplinary academic nucleus dedicated to integrating linguistic, cultural, and medical knowledge. Our aim is to create diverse opportunities for researchers, academic staff, and students by promoting collaboration in exploring the interactions between language, culture, and medical practices. The interdisciplinary projects conducted within the center are essential for integrating knowledge from various fields, fostering the development of innovative and effective solutions to modern medical challenges. Our research topics provide a complex and holistic perspective on education, health, and the doctor-patient relationship, focusing on:

Applied Medical Linguistics
Studying specific medical language, including medical terminology and its use in clinical contexts; improving doctor-patient communication through research on language barriers and developing guidelines for more effective interactions; analyzing medical discourse and its impact on the patients’ perception.

Intercultural Studies and Cultural Sensitivity in Medicine
Analyzing the influence of cultural values on the perception and acceptance of medical treatments; researching the impact of cultural factors on public health and medical practices; developing training programs to enhance cultural competence among medical students; exploring communication strategies to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers.

The Role of Narrative in Medicine
Using medical narratives and case studies for educational purposes to train future doctors; studies in narrative medicine.

Learning Techniques
Workshops focused on learning techniques for medical students play a crucial role in developing top clinical competencies. These workshops provide opportunities to acquire effective strategies for active learning, critical thinking, and integrating theoretical knowledge into practice. They support the development of retention and application skills for complex information, which are essential in real clinical contexts where quick and well-founded decisions can make a significant difference. Through collaborative learning, simulations, and interactive methods, students train not only their memory and clinical reasoning but also their communication, teamwork, and self-assessment skills—all essential for becoming outstanding professionals in the medical field.

Interdisciplinary Projects Carried Out by the Center

The collaboration between linguists, physicians, biology educators, and cultural studies experts in addressing complex medical challenges is materialized through our research projects:

Places and Therapy in Interdisciplinary Approaches
This conference represents an interdisciplinary and transcultural endeavor to explore language and medical fields. Now in its 10th edition in 2025, it has generated volumes, chapters, and articles published in various specialized journals and thematic volumes both nationally and internationally. The aim is to better understand which types of objectives align with the expectations, characteristics, interests, projects, and needs of our learners, as well as with the resources they have access to. We aim to identify realistic and achievable differentiated scenarios for developing the linguistic and medical competencies necessary for professional training.

Each edition has featured presentations by Romanian and international students from the three participating universities in Timișoara: “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, West University of Timișoara, and “King Michael I” University of Life Sciences. Student presentations have been coordinated by faculty members from medical, philological, anthropological, biological, and pedagogical disciplines, addressing medical practice, general and specialized language, didactics, and pedagogy.

The academic presentations highlighted especially the role of linguistic semiology in interpreting medical discourse, emphasizing how language influences the perception of illness and the therapeutic process.

This interdisciplinary conference demonstrates that dialogue between medicine, the humanities, and environmental sciences is essential for a holistic approach to health, offering innovative perspectives on the relationship between place, discourse, and therapy.

Anamnesis Dialogue with the Standardized Patient
The use of standardized patients/actors has become a common global practice in medical universities. Actors playing the role of patients significantly contribute to learning, practicing, assessing, and even researching communication competencies for future medical professionals in both verbal and non-verbal interactions.

Language, as the key communication tool, must be standardized in use in this globalized context. Therefore, our project, designed for medical students, takes a transdisciplinary approach, bringing together trainers specialized in medicine, linguistics, and acting in shared workshops. The future physician will develop the necessary abilities to understand and communicate in sensitive situations, receiving 360° feedback.

A broad student involvement is ensured by conducting workshops in Romanian, German, English, and French.

Learning Techniques and Strategies for Developing Top Clinical Competencies
The aim of this initiative is to improve the process of assimilating medical knowledge, optimizing understanding and usage of medical language, which is essential in clinical practice. By integrating modern active learning methods, conversational simulations, and advanced educational technologies, the project enhances academic performance and supports the development of solid clinical skills. Special attention is given to doctor-patient communication, given the major impact of language clarity and precision on diagnosis and treatment.

The project seeks to implement didactic strategies based on cognitive linguistics and medical semiotics to support the fast and accurate interpretation of specialized terms. Using techniques such as contextualized learning and assisted self-assessment methods, students will be able to optimize their learning process and correct linguistic deficiencies in real time.

Research Impact

Research conducted within this center can contribute to improving the quality of medical care through more effective communication, promoting linguistic and cultural inclusion in healthcare systems, and creating new standards for linguistic education in the medical field.

Members list:

Titular members:

Nr.

Name and surname of the titular member (didactic/ research personnel)

Didactic/ research degree

1.

Boc-Sînmărghițan Diana

Associate Profesor, PhD

2.

Dumescu Patricia-Dorli

Lecturer, PhD

3.

Jebelean Elena Ligia

Associate Profesor, PhD

4.

Jumanca Romanița Adina Delia

Lecturer, PhD

5.

Kohn Daniela

Associate Profesor, PhD

6.

Olaru-Poșiar Simona

Lecturer, PhD

7.

Șilindean Daniela

Associate Profesor, PhD

Associated members:

Nr.

Name and surname

Student, masters student, PhD student, postdoctoral student, auxilliary and non-teaching staff

1.

Dimcea Karina

6th-year Medical Student

2.

Furlan Andrei

3rd-year Medical Student

 

Collaborators:

Nr.

Name and surname
(didactic/ research personnel)

VBUMP Affiliation
(Discipline and department)

1.

Professor PhD Amăricăi Elena-Constanța

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dept. XVI – Balneology, Rehabilitation and Rheumatology, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timișoara

2.

Associate Professor PhD Borozan Aurica

General Microbiology, King Mihai I University of Life Sciences, Timișoara

3.

Lecturer PhD Dascălu-Romițan Ana-Maria

Faculty of Communication Sciences, Timișoara Polytechnic University

4.

Lecturer PhD Lungoci Cosmina Simona

Department of Education Sciences, Faculty of Sociology and Psychology, University of West Timișoara

5.

Dr. PhD Ițariu Bianca Karla

Klinik für Endokrinologie und Stoffwechsel, University Clinic for Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

6.

Senior Teacher PhD Sima Remina

Romanian and English Language and Literature, “F.S. Nitti” Economic College, Timișoara

7.

Translator/Interpreter – Carmen Tărniceru

Freelancer

8.

Associate Professor PhD Vintilă Daniel Sorin

Comparative Literature, Romanian Language, Language Teaching Methodology, Intercultural Communication, University of Regensburg – Institute for Romanian Studies / Romanian Language Institute / “Tibiscus” University, Timișoara