The words or terms which make up the language of medicine are referred to as the terminology of the medical field or Medical Terminology. Like every other language, Medical Terminology has changed over time, but the majority of terms are based in Latin or Greek. We recommend you study the basic medical terminology found in your textbook, and study the more advanced terms later on in your career.
At first glance, medical terminology can seem like a foreign language. But often the key to understanding medical terms is focusing on their components (prefixes, roots, and suffixes). For example, spondylolysis is a combination of "spondylo," which means vertebra, and "lysis," which means dissolve, and so means dissolution of a vertebra. The same components are used in many medical terms. "Spondylo" plus "itis," which means inflammation, forms spondylitis, an inflammation of the vertebrae. The same prefix plus "malacia," which means soft, forms spondylomalacia, a softening of the vertebrae.
Learning prefixes is most important, such as if a word begins with "osteo-" it has to do with bone, a word begining with "neuro-" is related to nerves or the nervous system, "Oto-" is the ear, "veno-" deals with a vein, and so on. So, we strongly recommend memorizing the word prefixes in your textbook.
Knowing the meaning of a small number of components can help with interpretation of a large number of medical terms. The most commonly used medical prefixes, roots, and suffixes are found in your textbook on pages 4-16. Remember you can always come back to review this section. As a Medical Assistant you will always be building your vocabulary as you advance in your career.
Assignments:
1. Read and study textbook pages: 47-64
2. Complete the "Review Questions" on page 65-66 (check your answers on page 67-68).
3. Please view the videos below:
Copyright © 2024 Eastern Institute, Inc. (BVI) IBC. - All Rights Reserved.