This study investigated needs of students majoring in nursing to guide the development of an English for Medical Purposes (EMP) curriculum for them. Participants were 60 nursing students who were enrolled in the mandatory English reading and writing course. They were divided into basic and advanced groups to examine the relationship between English proficiency levels and perceived EMP needs. Data were collected through a needs analysis questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that more than half of these students studied English for domestic employment. Regarding their perception of EMP, students showed a high level of need for EMP and stated a preference for bilingual instruction in EMP courses. Regarding language skills, they rated speaking as the most needed skill and mentioned that fluency in workrelated conversations was the primary objective in EMP courses. In addition, proficiency level was significantly related to perceived need for EMP and preferred medium of instruction. Advanced level students showed a higher need for EMP course than basic level students. When English-only and Korean-only media were compared, advanced level students favored the former while basic level students preferred the latter. Implications for English language educators and curriculum developers for the nursing field are discussed.