A Practical Approach on How to Use Medical Terminology

Medical terminology is the standard vocabulary used in the health care field. With this terminology, medical professionals can easily and accurately describe anatomy, procedures, diseases and conditions. Physicians and nurses use this type of terminology extensively. Those who work in medical billing and assisting must also have a basic understanding of medical terminology to communicate. Learning medical terminology can be challenging to those entering the health care field. It takes a special process of forming and decoding the medical terminology, but with practice, the terminology will become easier to learn.

Things You'll Need

• Flash cards
• Medical terminology textbook
• Medical dictionary

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Instructions

• 1

  Purchase a book on medical terminology. Since these are specialized texts,you will most likely have to look online for this resource. A medical terminology book will give you the basic definitions, etymological breakdown and standard usage of these terms.

• 2

  Understand word building. Medical terminology is made up of word roots, prefixes and suffixes. Word roots usually describe body parts. Prefixes (at the beginning of each word) give additional information about the involved organ or body part, and suffixes (at the end of the word) describe the condition or procedure.

• 3

  Enroll in a medical terminology class. Some community colleges, junior colleges and universities offer such courses. With a professor and other classmates, you can learn how to read and understand medical terminology.

• 4

  Create medical terminology flash cards. Purchase index cards at any office supply store. Write the word/suffix/prefix on the front and the definition on the back of the card. Have a friend or classmate help test your knowledge.

• 5

  Use interactive online exercises on medical terminology, such as the Medical Terminology for Health Care Online website. These resources offer cheat sheets, games, instructional videos and free courses on medical terminology.

• 6

  Use medical terminology in your everyday life. Take the time to learn a new word each day and use it in a sentence. If you intern or work in the health care field, use the medical terminology you learned with your colleagues. Make sure to ask them if you used the correct terminology.