Medical is the science and practice of caring for patients, including diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, palliation and promotion of health. Modern medicine is usually conducted within health care systems, with legal, ethical and credentialing frameworks established by government agencies. These are based on the principles of evidence-based medicine. The field of medicine is highly specialized, with many sub-fields, such as the medical sciences, health services research, public health, pharmacology, physiology, gynecology and neuroscience.
A person’s choice of career often depends on their aptitude and preferences. For example, if someone is interested in biology and chemistry, a career in pharmaceuticals would be appropriate. However, there are a variety of other careers in the healthcare industry that may not be as scientifically focused but still have an impact on people’s lives.
Health professionals work with medications, devices and surgical procedures to treat illness and injuries. Medications help to control symptoms and promote healing. Some medical professionals use diagnostic devices, such as x-ray machines or ultrasound scanners, to assess a patient’s state of health.
Many different fields of study are involved in the medical sciences, and each has its own unique terminology and vocabulary. For anyone entering the medical field, a solid understanding of common medical terms is essential. To understand how words in the medical field are formed, it is helpful to look at their roots. Each medical term has a prefix, which indicates location, direction or type, and a suffix, which gives the meaning of the word.
For instance, anatomy involves the study of the physical structure of living organisms, while cytology is concerned with microscopic structures. Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry taking place in living organisms, while biomechanics uses mathematics, physics and chemistry to analyze biological systems. Biostatistics is the application of statistics to biological fields, and pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects.
Gynecology is the study of the female reproductive system, and endocrinology is the study of hormones. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, and virology is the study of viruses.
Although the vast majority of people who work in the medical field are physicians or nurses, there are a number of other occupations that contribute to the delivery of healthcare. Examples include clinical trials coordinators, laboratory support staff and medical records technicians. It is important for these individuals to be familiar with medical terminology, as it is an integral part of their jobs.