meaning of presentation in medical terminology

What is Medical Terminology? [Explanations + Helpful Resources]

Medical Terminology 101: Definitions, Applications & Helpful Resources

Understanding medical terminology can make all the difference in critical health situations. And while understanding medical language is serious business for care providers, learning medical terminology can actually be a thought-provoking, interesting crash course in the history and development of language and parts of speech.

For those who are new to, or are looking to enter the medical field, having a firm grasp on medical verbiage, roots and meanings can give you a leg up as you continue your studies and progress in your career. To get you started, here is our introductory guide to medical terminology, which will serve as a solid foundation as you work to diversify and enhance your medical language skills.

What is Medical Terminology?

Medical terminology refers to the words and language used specifically in the medical and health fields. The proper definition describes medical terminology as language used to describe anatomical structures, procedures, conditions, processes and treatments in the medical field.

While memorizing terms across that many disciplines might seem impossible, medical language can be simplified when you understand that nearly all medical terms can be broken down into three parts: the prefix, the root and the suffix.

• Prefix — appears at the beginning of a term and indicates a location, direction, type, quality or quantity.
• Root — can appear at the beginning of the word if prefix is absent, but the root indicates the primary meaning of the medical term.
• Suffix — appears at the end of the word and indicates a specialty, test, procedure, function, disorder or status.

Why is Medical Terminology Important in the Medical Field?

Medical terminology is the linguistic foundation on which the entire healthcare system is built. Because physicians are trained at varying universities and complete their training across different hospitals and disciplines and geographies, having a singular medical terminology system ensures that effective care is delivered while reducing the potential for miscommunication.

• More specifically, medical terminology is important for a few reasons, both for medical professionals and the field itself. Medical terminology courses or certificates are usually a prerequisite for most graduate degree or certificate programs in the healthcare field.
• For those already working in the medical field — such as medical records specialists, radiology techs and even physicians — a refresher on traditional and new medical terminology can be helpful and may even be required for license renewal.

Elevate your career with our specialized Medical Terminology course . Click here to learn more! >

Why is Standardization of Medical Terminology Important?

Studies show that a standardized medical terminology system can improve overall hospital operations — both in terms of data and clinical applications of such data. A second report found that medical terminology and the usage of structured reporting can improve the usage of medical information in secondary activities, such as research, public health and case studies. This not only will help make research efforts more efficient, it will likely result in better outcomes for patients and medical innovation.

Additional benefits of standardized medical terminology  include:

• Ensures consistent documentation of clinical information
• Creates a streamlined system for data entry and retrieval across electronic medical records for billing and insurance purposes
• Ensures a consistent understanding of language across the continuum of care
• Ensures that all relevant parties are educated across a universal standard Improves patient care and safety, research and evidence-based medicine
• Helps promote efficient communication
• Helps create a seamless patient experience

A MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY COURSE IS VALUABLE TO YOUR CAREER

Taking a medical terminology course is a great first step to equip you with the skills and knowledge you’ll need to be successful.

Medical Terminology: Examples of Prefixes

Medical terminology: examples of root words.

A lot of medical terms get their roots from Latin and ancient Greek language, much like many words in the English and romance languages. Here are some of the most common medical root words healthcare providers must know.

Medical Terminology: Examples of Suffixes

The last ingredient in a medical term is likely the suffix, which provides more specifics about the term’s application. Here are just a few of the most important medical suffixes to know.

Just as you would with any new skill, expanding your vocabulary and learning medical terminology takes practice, practice, practice. To assist you during your studies, we’ve rounded up some helpful resources and study tools focused on medical terminology.

• University of San Diego Medical Terminology online course
• Merck Medical Terminology Manual
• Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary
• OpenMD.com Medical Terminology Dictionary
• Understanding Medical Words: A Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine
• CMA (AAMA) Practice Exam: Medical Terminology
• Free Online Medical Terminology Course
• Medical Terminology Flashcard Sets and Study Tools

No matter what resource you turn to, we recommend starting with the  Medical Terminology course from the University of San Diego . This online, self-paced course allows you to immerse yourself in the world of medical language in a way that works for you and your schedule. Participants in this course gain a deep understanding of important medical, diagnostic and laboratory abbreviations and terms they will need throughout their medical careers. To learn more about this course or any of our healthcare programs, please  contact us.

Click here to download a PDF version of this article.

Common Questions About the USD Medical Terminology Course

How long will this course take me to complete.

This course has a maximum of six (6) months from the date of enrollment to complete the course. Students are recommended to allocate a minimum of two weeks (14 calendar days) per semester unit to complete a course; this time frame allows for instructor interaction and feedback between assignments.

How is this course accessed?

This course is taught in an online Learning Management System. Students will be provided access information upon registration.

When can I order transcripts?

Once all course work is submitted, a final grade is submitted by the instructor. The grade is then approved by the office and posted. Once a final grade is posted, official transcripts can be requested — learn more about transcript requests here .

What materials do I need to purchase?

The textbook set for this course should be purchased directly from the publisher.

Curriculum covered in this article

Start your medical terminology course today..

Become Versed in Medical Language and Terminology

Start date:

Start now, you have 180 days to complete this course once enrolled

What you will learn:

• List, define and identify medical terms for different body systems, as well as the components of these terms
• Identify the most common word parts for medical terms
• Interpret important medical, diagnostic and laboratory abbreviations and terms
• Construct medical terms using root words, combining forms, prefixes and suffixes
• Distinguish between singular and plural forms of selected medical terms
• Classify word parts for medical terms for numbers, positions and directions

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Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions

(12 reviews)

Andrea M. Nelson, University of West Florida

Katherine Greene, University of West Florida

Copyright Year: 2021

Publisher: University of West Florida Pressbooks

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Carolina Molina-Martin, Adjunct Faculty, Old Dominion University on 6/16/24

This book is comprehensive and informative. In addition to a Table of Contents that provides a breakdown of each of the 18 chapters, a Glossary follows the Table of Contents. Glossary terms are bolded in green and their definitions can be found in... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is comprehensive and informative. In addition to a Table of Contents that provides a breakdown of each of the 18 chapters, a Glossary follows the Table of Contents. Glossary terms are bolded in green and their definitions can be found in the glossary at the end of the book.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is very accurate, . It is non biased, and inclusive. The chapters are very thorough and well-written. There are no glaring errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The information presented in the text is relevant and is not information that will become outdated, as it is focused on medical terminology.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is written in very accessible language. Terms are presented with appropriate depth and clarity. Each chapter opens with a list of word parts (prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes) related to the topic. References are included with each chapter.

Consistency rating: 5

The terminology and framework are consistent, Interactive content is built into each chapter. The structure of each chapter is consistent throughout. It starts with learning objectives.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is easy to read. It is written with well defined chapters broken into manageable paragraphs.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Extremely well organized. The order of presentation is overall logical and clear. Pertinent information for the topic of the chapter is covered.

Interface rating: 5

The interactive reinforcement activities require you to click, drag and drop, listen and repeat, flip, and test yourself. No issues were found with the features of the text. The interface is user-friendly, No problems with navigation.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No glaring errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is not culturally insensitive.

This OER book is different from many traditional medical terminology textbooks. Kudos to the authors for all of their hard work on creating such a wonderful book. This resource will serve well future healthcare students and any healthcare profession.

Reviewed by Judith Guetzow, Lecturer II, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 5/22/24

The text offers comprehensive coverage of medical terminology for healthcare professions, presenting terms with appropriate depth and clarity. Each chapter opens with a list of word parts (prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes) related to the... read more

The text offers comprehensive coverage of medical terminology for healthcare professions, presenting terms with appropriate depth and clarity. Each chapter opens with a list of word parts (prefixes, combining forms, and suffixes) related to the topic. Medical terms are prominently displayed in bold green font throughout the chapters, and a useful glossary is provided in the book, aiding students in quickly locating relevant vocabulary. Furthermore, at the end of each body system chapter, a vocabulary list is included, featuring terms associated with that specific system.

The content is accurate, error-free, unbiased, and reflects the latest developments in the field; thus, providing students with reliable information essential for their understanding of medical terminology.

The content is current, ensuring students learn terminology that reflects existing practices. The authors provide a balance between current information and the established principles of medical terminology, ensuring the text remains relevant without quickly becoming obsolete. Its structured format allows for easy updates as medical terminology evolves.

Written in clear and accessible prose, the text provides explanations and context for technical terms, making it suitable for students at all proficiency levels and enhancing overall clarity.

Consistency is maintained throughout the text in both terminology and framework; thus, contributing to its reliability and lucidity. This is conducive to improving students’ comprehension and retention of the medical terms.

The modularity of the text facilitates flexible teaching approaches. The text is organized into eighteen chapters that can be further divided into reduced sections, allowing instructors to assign smaller reading sections without disrupting the flow of the material.

The topics in the text are presented in a logical, clear fashion guiding students through progressively more complex concepts in a clear and discerning manner. As students advance through each body system, they learn the corresponding medical terms, the word parts that form these terms, and the relevant abbreviations specific to each system.

The interface of the textbook is user-friendly, free of significant navigation issues or display problems that could hinder the learning experience. There is a clear presentation of images and charts which enhances the learning experience. Each chapter integrates interactive content such as videos, flashcards, drag-and-drop exercises, and self-tests that are exclusive to the online format. Hyperlinks to the interactive content are provided to users of PDF or EPUB versions of the text. This content was accessible to a diverse range of learners, with closed captioning provided for the videos, and no errors were detected in the captions. Additionally, image descriptions were included for each picture. A minor concern is that certain flashcards lacked the text-to-speech feature.

No grammatical errors were found. The text is grammatically sound and written at a level appropriate for the students, ensuring readability.

The material is free from inappropriate or offensive content.

Overall, the authors created a comprehensive textbook that provides a thorough understanding of medical terminology relating to body systems and pathology, diagnostics, and medical procedures. It would be wonderful if PowerPoints, test banks, and assignments as learning exercises that require students to break down the terms into word parts were included in each chapter. However, I found reading the text and engaging with the interactive activities enjoyable. Reviewing this material has been valuable, as it has piqued my interest in potentially using it for my medical terminology class in the near future.

Reviewed by Gary McIlvain, Professor, Marshall University on 5/21/24

It covers the information very well. It tends to become an anatomy textbook too much. read more

It covers the information very well. It tends to become an anatomy textbook too much.

The accuracy was on par. Again, too much "anatomy book" context for med term.

With anatomy and medical terminology, it rarely changes. So, the text longevity would be good.

The ease of reading the text is great and students would be able to follow it well. It seems to become a better anatomy text than medical terminology or maybe the title should be "applied medical terminology" and it state it focuses on applying it within anatomy.

Yes, but more anatomy textbook than I would use for a med term class.

It is divided by systems, which is a common way to organize a medical terminology text.

It does do a good job applying it to common every day issues (e.g. M.S.)

Great use of drag and drop and flash cards.

I didn't note any errors.

Yes, it did use pictures that depicted varying racx3es, ethnicities, and backgrounds. It is limiting in anatomy pictures to be able to do this...

I would like to see basic pharmacology used in it. I would not currently use this as the only text due to the lack of basic pharmacology. With that added it would be a great text.

Reviewed by Jenni Johnson, Assistant Professor, Marshall University on 5/21/24

This book provides appropriate medical terminology for all regions of the body as well as all healthcare disciplines. It is a great asset for any healthcare profession. read more

This book provides appropriate medical terminology for all regions of the body as well as all healthcare disciplines. It is a great asset for any healthcare profession.

I found no mistakes within the textbook.

The book is extremely relevant and it can be utilized for many years across many healthcare professions. This text is also good for a variety of learning styles by utilizing virtual flash cards and videos with audio.

The textbook is clearly and concisely written

Each chapter follows the same format which makes it very easy to navigate.

This book has 18 chapters and they are clearly outlined. Each chapter is broken up into sections that have an excellent flow that builds learning over time.

Each area is clearly defined

Each chapter and learning tool is easy to navigate and there were no technical issues.

I found no grammatical errors in the text.

There was no cultural bias in this text. It was inclusive of all cultures, and genders and free from religious bias.

I believe this text can be used for a wide variety of future healthcare professions. The flashcards, interactive videos and end of chapter quizzes appeal to all learning styles and assist with retention. Each word is broken down to easily understand the meaning and use of the terminology,

Reviewed by Wendy Schuh, Assistant Professor, Minnesota State University Mankato on 2/8/24

This book is clearly laid out with 18 different chapters covering all of the body systems + obstetrics. There are interactive figures, flash cards, and end of chapter quizzes. Vocabulary words have a linked definition within the text. It would be... read more

This book is clearly laid out with 18 different chapters covering all of the body systems + obstetrics. There are interactive figures, flash cards, and end of chapter quizzes. Vocabulary words have a linked definition within the text. It would be an added benefit to include pronunciation, which is an important component of medical terminology. Videos have a captioning option.

No concerns with accuracy.

References are included with each chapter. Publication date is 2021, and most references are within the last five years. In addition, this content is mostly stable over the years. CrashCourse videos are a little older (2015) but many students are familiar with Hank Green in this format. Information is relevant and easy to process.

Clear chapter content, sections, and headings.

Consistent style of writing, activities, page layout, etc. throughout the book.

Chapters organized in a logical manner. Flashcards and interactive body part activities are wonderful tools, even better since they can be completed multiple times.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The structure of the textbook is sound and consistent with other medical terminology textbooks. A more thorough Table of Contents would allow for easier navigation. It has a good balance of technical and non-technical writing that makes it easy to read and comprehend.

Interface rating: 3

Appealing and interactive. I attempted to take advantage of the “re-use” option below each activity but could not figure it out. Search function does not work well. I tried searching phrases directly from the text, and it would not pull up. The labeling activities were difficult to complete as the drag and drop feature would not scroll. Therefore, it would be useful to have a correct answer option to see the completed figure. It would be helpful to have descriptions included with different e-book options that explain interactive functions with each format.

Very clean and proofed!

Appeared to be culturally inclusive, although it is difficult to assess in this type of resource. No diverse representation of skin color on diagrams.

This is a great textbook that mimics other medical terminology textbooks costing $100+ that don’t have interactive components. There could be some great additions to more effectively use this for a course textbook, such as a question bank, study guides, and suggestions for worksheets and projects to incorporate points into a course framework.

Reviewed by Sharon Schaeffer, Associate Clinical Professor, Bowling Green State University on 4/16/23

Covers major body systems . read more

Covers major body systems .

I did not see any errors during my review.

Medical terminology is a pretty static topic. When students learn how to correctly combine forms, they will be ready to decipher new vocabulary that comes with progress in health care.

Easy to understand.

The depth of content is consistent.

I will allow students to choose their topic of the week after the first 3 chapters are complete. The module system will work well for this design. This design allows students taking A & P or similar courses the opportunity to learn med term at the same time as they are learning in other courses.

Well organized.

I had no challenges linking to and using the added features.

No problems noted.

Inclusive content.

This book will help my students learn the basics of medical terminology as a foundation for building a strong professional vocabulary. I like the interactive activities in this book as it helps learners of different styles. It would be a bonus if there were quiz question banks available. It is not enough of a deal breaker to stop me from using this in my course next Spring semester.

Reviewed by Kristin Meyer, Professor, Drake University on 12/15/22

The text comprehensively covers medical terms in each body system, with a couple of introductory chapters. It covers the span of life with a dedicated obstetrics chapter, which I have not seen in other texts. read more

The text comprehensively covers medical terms in each body system, with a couple of introductory chapters. It covers the span of life with a dedicated obstetrics chapter, which I have not seen in other texts.

No inaccuracies identified.

Medical terminology does not easily or often change, but the text could be easily updated from time to time to include new disease states or terms.

No issues with clarity identified.

Each chapter has a consistent format with link to video overview and active learning activities interspersed throughout.

The organization by body system allows an instructor to assign the appropriate amount of content to correspond with course credit hours.

The online version is easy to navigate. The search function doesn't work as I would expect it to.

Interface rating: 4

The online version is easy to navigate. The pdf download has none of the interactive features. It would be nice if the pdf version could somehow include the active learning exercises in each chapter, with an answer key appendix.

No grammatical errors identified.

Does not appear to be culturally insensitive.

I could easily adopt this text for my web-instructed undergraduate medical terminology class. The interactive features are helpful to engage students. A summary quiz at the end of each chapter would be a nice added feature.

Reviewed by Nancy Bouchard, Adjunct Professor, North Shore Community College on 11/14/22

Very well done. read more

Very well done.

Very accurate and not biased.

If updates are needed, they could be added with ease.

Well written text.

Very consistent.

Very user friendly. Easy to read and assign chapters.

Very organized.

I did not encounter any issues.

None noticed.

Not insensitive or offensive.

My only concern is for the student who has no prior exposure to medical terminology, healthcare training or will not have a clinical role in healthcare. I would not want them to get overwhelmed by the depth of detail in each chapter. I would suggest a section in each chapter that contains exercises for students to test their understanding of the subject matter read, practice correctly writing the terms and the like. Visual learning is only one way for students to absorb content. I would have to create ways to test their understanding to be graded using quizzes, a research project, midterm and final exam. I'm on the fence if the content in the textbook is too deep for only needing a basic understanding of medical terms.

Reviewed by Martha Fabian-Krause, Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Rogue Community College on 9/1/22

Systematic flow of each body system to include root word, prefix, suffix, anatomy, physiology, video and practice in each section. Logical to follow. read more

Systematic flow of each body system to include root word, prefix, suffix, anatomy, physiology, video and practice in each section. Logical to follow.

No issues noted. Very accurate.

Timeless interpretation of terminology would make the on line text need updating only if new medical information becomes available.

Detailed explanations of terminology, anatomy and physiology with pertinent examples and word practice at the end of each body system.

Each section is consistent by acknowledging medical diseases, disorders, and procedures related to the root words. Good follow through in each body system.

This on line book can be assigned in a particular order relevant to other class material and does not need to be completed in any particular time frame. Pleasurable reading.

The format of each section (body system) is in a progressive fashion and is put together with a video near the beginning and word games at the end of each section. Good sequencing noted throughout.

Charts are easy to navigate. There is an identical format what is easy to assimilate.

None noted.

No diversive issues noted. Represents the full spectrum of human anatomy and physiology.

Marvelous understanding of the root words, prefix, suffix and detailed anatomy and physiology. The videos and word matches at the end of each section put the meaning crystal clear.

Reviewed by Carla Tobin, Faculty, Century College on 6/17/22

This textbook covers all of the body systems, the word parts and rules, and prefixes and suffixes. read more

This textbook covers all of the body systems, the word parts and rules, and prefixes and suffixes.

This book is very accurate. No discrepancies or errors were noted in the textbook.

Medical terminology is a subject that does not change over the years. As new diseases and technologies arise, they can easily be incorporated into the content.

The language used in the book is clear and pronunciations of the terminology is provided throughout the e-book. This is an easy to read book for high school or college level students.

The chapters are consistent in there format and organization throughout the textbook. It is easy to follow for the student.

The chapters are broken down into sections which make it easy to read. The videos are shown within the textbook, so the user is not taken to another site. One suggestion would be to have a link to the next chapter at the bottom of the page rather than scrolling up to the top to choose the next chapter from the left side menu.

The organization of this textbook is exactly what you would expect for a Medical Terminology textbook. It is divided into chapters by body system.

There are no apparent issues with the interface. As noted above, the videos are shown within the textbook window, so the user is not taken to another site.

I did not note any grammatical errors in this textbook.

Cultural sensitivity is not really relevant with medical terminology. This language is used in many countries in order to be able to communicate in the same language.

I agree that the best use of this book in the online internet version. This is a very comprehensive medical terminology book. It covers all of the body systems and word building of medical terminology. The chapters provide many opportunities to practice what the student has learned. I liked that each chapter has the learning objectives listed at the beginning. I would have liked to see chapter summaries for the students to study. I think that this book could easily be incorporated into an online class, however, some work would be involved making PowerPoints, homework and quizzes. Overall, this is an excellent Medical Terminology book.

Reviewed by Renee Eaton, Advanced Instructor, Undergraduate Director, Virginia Tech on 5/17/22

Systems-based organization and includes all body systems. read more

Systems-based organization and includes all body systems.

No errors or issues noted

Medical terminology is something that rarely changes. Context activities may change over time, as does disease prevalence and knowledge, but new terms or different terms are not common.

Clear descriptions and use of technical and non-technical language.

The organization is the same across each chapter making the book easy to access and navigate. Language and flow are consistent.

Text is easy to navigate. It may be helpful to provide some in-chapter navigation on the lower menu bar. For example, the previous and next chapters are linked on the left and right margins of the bottom, and chapter components such as diseases / anatomy / etc. could be added to the center. It may not all fit, but even having a couple of navigation points within the chapter would be helpful.

Good organization and order of chapters.

This is one of my greatest difficulties. Navigation within chapters would be helpful. The incorporation of activities, particularly the labeling activities and Medical Terms in Context, are difficult with a regular laptop screen. The text and answer selections are often not on the same screen, making the activity more tedious to complete. Some of the labeling activities also have large images that put the image and answer selections on different screens. The "Did You Know", "Objectives" and colored boxes contain wasted space. They're excessively large especially in the header, and when viewing on a laptop is often half the screen if not more. The PDF version often has issues of inconsistent font size and misalignment of tables.

No grammatical errors found. I appreciated the bold and linked words, with the ability to see definitions with one click. It might be helpful to have a sidebar with the important words and definitions / information in the section, but that might not be feasible with formatting.

Hard to assess for medical terminology.

The best way to use this text is online with solid internet. The PDF version is frustrating as there are no activities or practice opportunities, and there are issues with the organization and appearance such as misaligned tables and font size differences. When internet is good but not great, none of the videos are viewable. The activities and practice opportunities in the online book are very helpful and enjoyable. Their length is appropriate to encourage use and they are strategically placed throughout the chapters. I did have trouble with the search tool, as things I entered went to the glossary but always included the beginning of the glossary. For example, a search for "diplopia" showed the following:

Abdominal Pertaining to the abdomen (National Cancer Institute, n.d.) Abdominoplasty Surgical repair of the abdomen (National Library of Medicine, 2021) Abduction Moving the limb or hand laterally away from the body, or spreading the fingers or toes (Betts et al., 2013) Abductor Moves the bone away from the midline (Betts et al., 2013) Ablation The Read more » Sensory Systems

Learning Objectives Examine the anatomy of the sensory systems Determine the main functions of the sensory systems Differentiate the medical terms of the sensory systems and common abbreviations Discover the medical specialties associated with the sensory systems Recognize common diseases, disorders, and procedures related to the sensory systems Sensory Systems Word Parts Click on prefixes, Read more »

Overall, the authors did a wonderful job of developing a thorough and practical text. I appreciate the thought that went into the interactive nature of the book and the availability to exercises to practice knowledge.

Reviewed by Debra Minzola, Associate Professor, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania on 3/18/22

This textbook is very inclusive in the content area. It not only discusses the word but breaks down medical terminology to help learners to easily decipher the meaning of a medical term . read more

This textbook is very inclusive in the content area. It not only discusses the word but breaks down medical terminology to help learners to easily decipher the meaning of a medical term .

There was no inaccuracies detected throughout the text.

This text is very relevant and will easily be updated if needed.

This is an easy to read text and would be a valuable resource for new learners. The ebook offers videos and learning activities throughout.

The text is internally consistent with an easy to follow framework.

The modules in this text are easy to navigate and locate specialty sections.

This text is clearly organized and easy to navigate.

There is no significant navigation problems or confusing features.

There is clear grammar throughout the text.

There is no offensive content in this textbook or language that can be viewed as culturally insensitive.

Learning objectives are listed at the introduction of each section followed by a guide on how to break down each system's medical terms. Throughout each section there are diagrams, charts, and additional videos in the ebook which reinforces the content. The book is organized and easy to navigate.

Table of Contents

• 1. Word Parts and Rules
• 2. Prefixes and Suffixes
• 3. Body Terminology
• 4. Sensory Systems
• 5. Integumentary System
• 6. Skeletal System
• 7. Muscular System
• 8. Nervous System
• 9. Cardiovascular System
• 10. Blood Vessels and Blood
• 11. Lymphatic and Immune Systems
• 12. Respiratory System
• 13. Digestive System
• 14. Endocrine System
• 15. Urinary System
• 16. Male Reproductive System
• 17. Female Reproductive System
• 18. Obstetrics

Ancillary Material

About the book.

Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professions is an Open Educational Resource (OER) that focuses on breaking down, pronouncing, and learning the meaning of medical terms within the context of anatomy and physiology. This resource is targeted for Healthcare Administration, Health Sciences, and Pre-Professional students.

About the Contributors

Andrea M. Nelson , PT, DPT, GCS, CLT, University of West Florida

Katherine Greene , MPH, University of West Florida

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Abbreviations you may find in your health records

Here you can find out what some of the most common medical abbreviations mean. This may be useful if you want to understand your health records. An abbreviation is a short way of writing a longer word or phrase.

Healthcare staff sometimes use the same abbreviations to mean different things.

If you do not know what something in your health records means, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

List of abbreviations

If you cannot find the abbreviation you are looking for.

Speak to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for help with understanding your health records.

Page last reviewed: 22 August 2022 Next review due: 22 August 2025

Presentation

What does "Presentation" mean in a report or doctor's letter? In our medical dictionary, you will find a patient-friendly explanation of the meaning of this medical term.

Explanation

In the field of medicine, "presentation" refers to the set of symptoms or conditions that a patient shows when they first seek medical help. It's like the story that the patient's body is telling about what might be wrong. For example, a person might present with a high fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, which could suggest a respiratory infection. Doctors use this initial information to start figuring out what the disease or problem might be.

Univ. Prof. Dr. med. Lukas A. Huber

Confusing Medical Report?

BaluMed makes medicine understandable! Our extensive medical report explanation 'translates' complex medical terms from MRI findings and discharge summaries into easily understandable language. With a combination of artificial intelligence and medical expertise, we offer quickly available and reliable information.

• Extensive . Summary, explanation per section, glossary.
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Use this collection of resources to find the style of learning medical terminology that suits you best. Have a suggestion or a favorite resource you would like us to include? Contact [email protected] to let us know.

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• Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries.
• Medline Plus Word Parts and What They Mean Provides a list of word parts and what they mean so you can see how medical terminology is built from these foundational definitions. 
• Understanding Medical Words Tutorial This tutorial teaches you about medical words. You'll learn how parts of medical words are put together. You'll also find quizzes to check what you've learned.

• Medical Dictionary of Health Terms The A to Z library is a collection of articles covering many of the most commonly searched medical conditions. Each article contains a description of the condition; the symptoms; how it is diagnosed, prevented, and treated; the prognosis; and when to seek professional advice.

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Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean

Here is a list of word parts. They may be at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a medical word.

General Words

Body parts and disorders, positions and directions, numbers and amounts, physical properties and shapes, good and bad, procedures, diagnosis and surgery.