Medical is the field of study that encompasses all aspects of human health, disease and wellness. It includes a broad range of disciplines from the study of the body to the study of society’s impact on physical and mental health. Medical terminology is the lingua franca of the field, and it’s essential for healthcare professionals to understand it in order to communicate with one another effectively.
While the idea of memorizing terms across such a wide range of disciplines might seem daunting, medical terminology can actually be fairly easy to learn. Most terms can be broken down into three parts: the prefix, the root and the suffix. The prefix indicates a specific word part and often gives the term an overall meaning; for example, hypoglycemia is low blood sugar. The root indicates the fundamental meaning of the word; for example, a heart murmur is an abnormal sound that occurs in the heart. The suffix indicates the particular aspect of the word that is being discussed, such as -osis (condition), -ectomy (operation) or -pathy (disease).
A variety of different types of medicine exist, and each discipline is highly specialized. Some examples of the countless specialties include:
The study of anatomy is an important foundation of the field. This involves the examination of a patient’s body parts, including the organs, bones, muscles and skin. Some schools require students to carry out a practical dissection of a body to help them understand how the different parts of the body connect.
Pathology is the study of disease; it often involves examining a sample of blood, urine or tissue to determine the cause of illness or injury. Pharmacology is the study of pharmaceutical medications and how they affect the body. Radiology is the study of the body’s internal structures and how they work; it often involves examining a patient’s body with imaging equipment like X-rays.
Nutritionists examine how diet and lifestyle can influence a person’s health; they also study the causes, diagnosis and treatment of diseases related to nutritional deficiencies. The field of psychiatry examines the causes, diagnosis and treatment of psychological, perceptual and emotional disorders; it also studies ways to prevent such conditions. Aerospace medicine is concerned with the medical issues that might be encountered by astronauts or other travelers in space. Other fields of study are rheumatology, which investigates the inflammatory diseases and conditions of the joints; and occupational medicine, which is concerned with the health and safety of workers in various fields of employment. All medical practitioners will need the right equipment to assist them in their practice, such as high-quality scales and height measuring devices. It is best to buy these from a reputable medical supplies supplier to ensure that they meet the required standards. This will give patients peace of mind that they are being treated with accuracy. It will also ensure that the doctors’ office has the appropriate medical equipment in the event of an emergency. This could include a first aid kit or oxygen for breathing.