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Paul Stewart

This online, self-paced course uses narrated presentations, pictures, and tables to introduce you to: 1) medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations; 2) anatomy and physiology basics of body systems; 3) pathologies and associated signs and symptoms; 4) procedures, therapeutics, and healthcare specialties; and, 5) associated pharmacology. Perfect for medical students, pre-med students, nurses, therapists, social workers, and the curious student of any age.

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What's inside

Learning objective

This online, self-paced course uses narrated presentations, pictures, and tables to introduce you to: 1) medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations; 2) anatomy and physiology basics of body systems; 3) pathologies and associated signs and symptoms; 4) procedures, therapeutics, and healthcare specialties; and, 5) associated pharmacology!

Syllabus

Introduction to Medical Terminology
1
2
Body Organization
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Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Provides a foundation in medical terminology, which is essential for effective communication and documentation in healthcare settings
Covers anatomy and physiology basics, which are fundamental subjects for pre-med students preparing for medical school
Explores pathologies and associated signs and symptoms, which can be valuable for anyone interested in understanding health conditions
Details procedures, therapeutics, and healthcare specialties, offering insights into the diverse aspects of medical practice
Examines associated pharmacology, which is crucial for understanding medication use and its impact on patient care
Includes narrated presentations, pictures, and tables, which may enhance learning for visual learners and those who prefer multi-modal instruction

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Reviews summary

Solid foundation in medical terminology

According to learners, this course offers a solid foundation in medical terminology, making it particularly helpful for those new to the healthcare field or needing a refresher. Many find the course well-structured and the content clearly explained, covering essential prefixes, suffixes, roots, and body systems effectively. The self-paced format is often highlighted as a benefit, allowing flexibility for busy students and professionals. While many students praise its utility for preparing for or supporting careers like nursing or medical coding, some reviewers note that the course primarily serves as an introduction and might not offer sufficient depth for advanced learners seeking extensive detail or complex topics.
Focuses on foundational concepts only.
"While great for beginners, it stays very introductory and doesn't cover advanced topics."
"If you already have some background, this course might feel a bit too basic."
"Provides a good overview but lacks the depth some more experienced students might seek."
Flexible learning schedule.
"I really appreciated the self-paced nature as it fit perfectly with my busy schedule."
"Being able to learn at my own speed made understanding the material much easier."
"The flexibility of this course was a major plus for me as a working professional."
Explanations are easy to follow.
"The course is clear and concise, making it easy to understand complex medical terms."
"I found the explanations very straightforward and the content was well-organized."
"This course is incredibly clear and well laid out. The instructor is easy to follow."
Practical application in medical roles.
"Highly recommend for anyone pursuing a career in the medical field, especially medical coding."
"This course was very helpful for my current job as a medical assistant."
"It provided practical terms and concepts directly applicable to nursing practice."
Provides a strong base for beginners.
"Excellent introduction to medical terminology, perfect for anyone starting out in healthcare."
"This course gave me the foundational knowledge I needed before entering nursing school."
"It's a really solid foundation for medical terminology for people who have no prior knowledge in the field."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Medical Terminology with these activities:
Review Basic Anatomy and Physiology
Reinforce your understanding of basic human anatomy and physiology to better grasp the medical terminology related to body systems.
Browse courses on Anatomy and Physiology
Show steps
  • Review anatomical structures and their functions.
  • Study the major physiological processes in each body system.
  • Complete practice quizzes on anatomical and physiological concepts.
Explore 'Medical Terminology: A Living Language'
Enhance your learning with a textbook that emphasizes the practical application of medical terminology in real-world scenarios.
Show steps
  • Read chapters related to the current week's topics.
  • Complete the exercises and case studies provided.
  • Relate the concepts to real-world medical situations.
Read 'The Language of Medicine'
Supplement your learning with a comprehensive textbook on medical terminology to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
View Alter Ego: A Novel on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read chapters related to the current week's topics.
  • Complete the exercises and quizzes at the end of each chapter.
  • Use the book as a reference when encountering unfamiliar terms.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Create Flashcards for Common Terms
Solidify your understanding of medical terms by creating flashcards for prefixes, suffixes, root words, and common medical abbreviations.
Show steps
  • Identify key medical terms from each module.
  • Create flashcards with the term on one side and the definition on the other.
  • Review the flashcards regularly to reinforce memorization.
Practice Medical Terminology Exercises
Reinforce your knowledge through repetitive exercises focusing on breaking down and understanding medical terms.
Show steps
  • Find online medical terminology quizzes and exercises.
  • Complete the exercises, focusing on areas where you struggle.
  • Review the correct answers and explanations.
Build a Personal Medical Terminology Glossary
Deepen your understanding by creating a personalized glossary of medical terms encountered throughout the course.
Show steps
  • Compile a list of unfamiliar medical terms from course materials.
  • Research and define each term in your own words.
  • Organize the glossary alphabetically for easy reference.
  • Add examples of how each term is used in context.
Tutor a Classmate
Solidify your understanding by explaining medical terminology concepts to a classmate who is struggling.
Show steps
  • Offer to help a classmate who is having difficulty with the material.
  • Review the concepts together and answer their questions.
  • Explain the material in your own words to reinforce your understanding.

Career center

Learners who complete Medical Terminology will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Medical Assistant
A medical assistant plays a vital role in healthcare, performing administrative and clinical tasks. This course helps to build a foundation in medical terminology, essential for understanding physician orders, patient charts, and medical documentation. The course covers anatomy, physiology, pathologies, procedures, and pharmacology, all of which are directly relevant to the day-to-day tasks of a medical assistant. In particular, the sections on body systems, pathologies, and healthcare specialties offers a strong introduction. Anyone interested in becoming a medical assistant should consider taking this course.
Medical Coder
A medical coder assigns standard codes to diagnoses and procedures for billing and insurance purposes. The course helps to build a foundation in medical terminology, which is vital for accurately interpreting medical records and assigning appropriate codes. A medical coder benefits from understanding pathologies, procedures, and healthcare specialties. The course may be useful due to its introduction to medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations. For those entering the field of medical coding, this course is a strong introduction.
Pharmacy Technician
A pharmacy technician assists pharmacists in dispensing medications and providing customer service. The course helps to provide a strong foundation in medical terminology, including pharmacology, which is essential for understanding drug names, dosages, and interactions. The anatomy and physiology content may be useful for understanding how medications affect the body. The course may be useful because the instructor introduces medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations, all of which are very important in the field of pharmacology. Anyone considering work as a pharmacy technician should consider this course.
Registered Nurse
A registered nurse provides direct patient care, administers medications, and educates patients and families. The course may be useful for current and aspiring registered nurses, helping to build a foundation in medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathologies, procedures, and pharmacology. These are all vital for understanding patient conditions, treatment plans, and medication orders. The course's introduction to body systems is particularly useful background for work as a registered nurse. A registered nurse may find that this course enables a rapid familiarity with medical concepts.
Physical Therapist
A physical therapist helps patients recover from injuries and illnesses through exercise and rehabilitation programs. The course may be useful for physical therapists, as an understanding of anatomy and physiology is crucial for designing effective treatment plans. The course touches on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, which are essential for this job. The course may provide useful for the physical therapist by introducing medical terminology, including pathologies and procedures related to rehabilitation. Any aspiring physical therapist should consider this course.
Emergency Medical Technician
An emergency medical technician provides immediate medical care to patients in emergency situations. The course may be useful for an emergency medical technician, as it introduces medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations, which allows for clear communication and accurate documentation. Emergency medical technicians benefit from understanding anatomy, physiology, pathologies, and procedures. The course sections on body systems and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems helps to provide the background knowledge necessary to deal with medical emergencies. An aspiring emergency medical technician may find this course helpful.
Medical Interpreter
A medical interpreter facilitates communication between healthcare providers and patients who speak different languages. The course provides a good background, as a medical interpreter should understand medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathologies, and procedures to accurately convey information. The course helps to introduce medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations. A medical interpreter may find this course makes them more effective.
Medical Biller
A medical biller prepares and submits claims to insurance companies for medical services rendered. In order to be successful, a medical biller must understand medical terminology. The course may be useful in teaching medical terminology, which is necessary for accurately processing claims. The course covers pathologies and procedures, which are directly related to billing codes. If you are interested in becoming a medical biller, this course may be useful.
Clinical Research Coordinator
A clinical research coordinator oversees clinical trials and collects data on patients participating in research studies. The course may be useful for clinical research coordinators. The ability to understand medical concepts, including pathologies, procedures, and pharmacology, is essential. The course's section on body systems and its introduction to healthcare specialties may be particularly useful. Any aspiring Clinical Research Coordinator should consider this course.
Dental Assistant
A dental assistant supports dentists in providing patient care, preparing treatment rooms, and taking X-rays. The course may be useful for a dental assistant, providing a foundation in medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology. This understanding is essential for assisting with dental procedures and understanding patient conditions. The course's sections on body systems and healthcare specialties offers valuable background knowledge. A dental assistant can be more successful by taking this course.
Healthcare Administrator
A healthcare administrator manages the operations of a healthcare facility or department. A healthcare administrator requires a working knowledge of medicine. While many roles require an advanced degree like a master's, this course helps provide a strong foundation in medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathologies, and procedures, all of which are relevant to decision-making in healthcare management. The course sections on healthcare specialties and body systems may be especially useful. Anyone interested in healthcare administration may find this course helpful.
Medical Secretary
A medical secretary performs administrative and clerical tasks in a medical office or hospital. This course may be useful, as it provides a foundation in medical terminology, which a medical secretary needs to understand medical records, insurance forms, and correspondence. The course's introduction to medical combining forms, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations, is particularly useful. A medical secretary may benefit from taking this course.
Massage Therapist
A massage therapist manipulates the soft tissues of the body to relieve pain, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. A massage therapist benefits from an understanding of anatomy and physiology, which enables them to target specific muscles and tissues. The course may be useful by covering the musculoskeletal system. A massage therapist may find the course useful because it teaches medical terminology for communicating with other healthcare professionals. This course may be helpful for anyone who wants to become a massage therapist.
Healthcare Recruiter
A healthcare recruiter specializes in finding and hiring qualified candidates for various positions within the healthcare industry. The course may be useful, by providing a broad understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathologies, procedures, and specialties. This may enable a healthcare recruiter to better assess candidate qualifications and understand the roles they are filling. The course's introduction to healthcare specialties and body systems may be particularly useful. A healthcare recruiter may find this course valuable.
Hospice Volunteer Coordinator
A hospice volunteer coordinator recruits, trains, and manages volunteers who provide support to patients and families facing end-of-life care. The course may be useful for hospice volunteer coordinators, as it provides a foundation in medical terminology and an introduction to pathologies and healthcare specialties related to end-of-life care. The course's background in body systems and procedures can be particularly useful. A hospice volunteer coordinator may find this course helpful.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Medical Terminology.
Comprehensive guide to medical terminology, covering prefixes, suffixes, root words, and combining forms. It provides detailed explanations and examples of how medical terms are constructed and used in clinical practice. It valuable resource for students seeking a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This book is commonly used as a textbook in medical terminology courses.

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