Medicine is a science concerned with health and disease. Its earliest roots are in prehistoric healing practices, and its modern form is founded on a balance of the physical, biological, mental, and social aspects of human health. Medical practitioners have a responsibility to practice evidence-based medicine, which involves reviewing the available literature on a topic and applying the results of that review to individual patients. The practice of medicine is often regulated by government and professional bodies. Doctors who do not follow the principles of ethical medical practice may be prosecuted.
The basic sciences of medicine include anatomy (the study of structure), physiology (the study of function), biochemistry (the study of the chemical processes within living organisms) and pharmacology (the study of drugs and their effects). Other disciplines, such as pathology, microbiology and histology are involved with the diagnosis of diseases.
Most modern medicine is practised in interdisciplinary teams. Specialist doctors work with nurses and allied health professionals such as laboratory scientists, pharmacists and podiatrists. Many medical practitioners also have a background in research and work closely with scientists in other fields such as biomedical engineering, biophysics and genetics.
Some medical specialists, such as psychiatrists and neurologists, are involved with the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Others, such as cardiologists and pulmonologists are involved with the diagnosis and treatment of heart and lung conditions. A further group, including gynecologists and endocrinologists, are concerned with female and male reproductive and related systems respectively.
Physicians who specialise in hospital medicine are known as “hospitalists” in the United States and Canada and as most responsible physicians or attending doctors in England and Wales. They are trained to care for hospitalized patients and are responsible for their admission, discharge and rehabilitation. They are frequently called upon to provide expert witness testimony in legal cases involving medical malpractice.
Continuing medical education is an important aspect of the practice of medicine. It enables doctors to keep up-to-date with advances in medical knowledge and techniques. It is also an important factor in maintaining the standards of practice in medicine.
Medical journals publish the results of scientific experiments in medicine. Some, such as The New England Journal of Medicine and Circulation, are owned by a single organization that oversees the editorial content; other journals are published by commercial publishers. The ability to publish inexpensively online has given rise to so-called predatory journals that exist primarily to make money, not to advance medical knowledge.
Medical professionals must have good visual acuity to read test results and to perform some laboratory procedures. They need to be able to differentiate color and shade, and to evaluate the clarity of solutions and specimens. They must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and they must have a good understanding of mathematical concepts such as ratios and proportions. They must be able to prioritize work, and must be able to complete their tasks accurately and within realistic time allowances.