How to Learn Medical Terminology Using CD-ROM Games

Accelerating your medical terminology education by using the CD-ROM based games supplied with most medical terminology textbooks is a matter of strategy. Since each individual has her own learning style, it's important to find a way to most effectively use these resources to build a vocabulary that you can use. For example, do you remember better based on connections and associations, or can you just repeat and recall? What is your frustration tolerance? Does it help to visualize what you are learning? With a strategy that takes into account what works for you, medical terminology games can be a more effective tool for learning.

Things You'll Need

• Anatomy chart

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Instructions

Visual Memorization

• 1

  Start the CD-ROM and play a game, such as hangman or a word search puzzle.

• 2

  After finishing the game, write down as many terms from the game as you can.

• 3

  Use the anatomy chart to review the terms, and recall any that you did not list. For non-anatomy terms, relate them to anatomy, if possible such as "injection" and "arm."

• 4

  Set the list aside, and use the anatomy chart to recall the terms. Note how many you recall.

• 5

  Continue with other games using the same strategy with the anatomy chart to recall the new terms, then recall as many in total as you can.

Auditory Memorization

• 6

  Play a CD-ROM game. Relax and enjoy it for best results.

• 7

  Write down as many terms as possible from the game you just played.

• 8

  Stand up and walk around, stretch, or yawn to relax and change focus for a moment.

• 9

  Review the list you wrote speaking each term out loud, and add any additional terms that you remember.

• 10

  Review the entire list speaking each term, and proceed to the next game.

Kinesthetic Memorization

• 11

  Play a game from the CD-ROM.

• 12

  Make a list of all the terms you remember from the game.

• 13

  Point to a spot on the anatomy chart representing the term. For those not directly associated with anatomy, point to an associated part, such as heart for "stethoscope."

• 14

  Review your list and add any additional terms you remember from the game.

• 15

  Repeat the memorization by pointing to anatomy or associated parts on the anatomy chart for each term.