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Gavin Walton
- October 19, 2024
Hello there… Are you a future doctor or a healthcare professional that is in the making? Welcome to study.com Health 103: Medical Terminology: get ready to open the door to knowledge in the field of medical language. Regardless of what you are going to do in the future – to become a healthcare professional or simply succeed in this particular course, this class will be useful to you. Just imagine taking a course on a new language every year and instead of going to the Spanish or French countryside, you are studying the human body, diseases, and cures. Sounds cool, right?
So, do not be scared off by the medical terminology. This particular course is created to step by step explain and describe all the processes in detail which will be rather helpful and easy to handle. You will be studying how the body systems work, and the terms used in the health fields that are in practice every day. If you’re lucky enough to sit through this course by the time you’re done with it, you’ll be using terms such as otorrhagia and hypomenorrhea as fluently as any other word in the dictionary while at the same time impressing everyone around you. Ready to jump in? For the purposes of this paper, let’s make this fun, simple, and, most importantly, absolutely passable!
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What to Expect from Study.com Health 103 Class 📖
So what are you getting into with study.com Health 103: Medical Terminology? First things first, this course makes you the master of all the medical terms that occur in the healthcare system. Regardless of the purpose you have – to work as an employee in the sphere, or to pass an exam – you will feel you are ready to speak fluent “doctor” language. But don’t get it wrong, you don’t have to be a doctor to pass through this guide, all you need is a couple of hours of your time, the ability to memorize, and of course, a great sense of humor.
There are 22 lessons that are then divided into different classes which include basic body systems, the nervous system, the reproductive system, and medical diagnostic tests among others. Be prepared to hear about everything to do with the human body, including structure and functioning (tissues, cells, and organs here we are!) and the unwanted stuff that may occur, such as illnesses. You will also study pharmacology which involves knowledge of medications, radiology which explains medical imaging, and oncology which is related to cancer treatments. Certain chapters contain words that are without any doubt going to be on the exam, so be sure to focus on those.
In fact, some of the areas that require the most knowledge are the nervous system, the endocrine system, and, of course, medical abbreviations. This knowledge will be used to make an analysis of patients’ records, prescriptions, and even diagnoses. Well, naturally, that may sound like a lot to process right now, but let’s get down to business and make it possible and maybe even entertaining.
Week-by-Week Study Plan to Ace Study.com Health 103 Exam📝
Are you equipped to absolutely demolish this exam? That is why, to make sure you cover all sections without pressure and make it easier for you to follow our schedule, here we provide you with a week-by-week study plan. By following the information found in this guide, you won’t only pass but the process might even become entertaining!
Week 1: Get Acquainted with the Basics
- Focus: Start by tackling the basics: the first three chapters. These lay the foundation for everything else.
- Chapters to Cover:
- Medical Terminology: Understanding the Basics
- Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms
- Body Systems Overview
- Action Plan:
- Chapters to Cover:
- Review flashcards on basic terminology (like Quizlet) for memorization.
- Watch an intro video on body systems like this one: YouTube: CrashCourse – The Skeletal System to get a fun overview.
- Pro Tip: Another highly important piece of advice is to learn such things as prefixes, suffixes, and root words as hard as you can – you will surely encounter them in every single text!
Week 2: Dive Into Anatomy & Physiology
- Focus: Focus on the different systems in the body, especially the circulatory, respiratory, and gastrointestinal tracts.
- Chapters to Cover: 4. The Cardiovascular System 5. The Respiratory System 6. The Digestive System
- Action Plan:
- Use diagrams and videos to understand how these systems work together. Check out YouTube: Osmosis for anatomy breakdowns.
- Write down key terms and quiz yourself using online flashcards.
- Pro Tip: Create a comparison chart of how these systems interconnect to make memorization easier.
Week 3: Nervous System & Endocrine System Mastery
- Focus: These systems are heavily tested—make sure you nail them!
- Chapters to Cover: 14. Nervous System Terminology 19. Endocrine System Overview
- Action Plan:
- Re-watch videos on the nervous system and hormones. A good video: YouTube: Armando Hasudungan – Nervous System.
- Create mind maps to connect terminology with their respective functions.
- Pro Tip: Flashcards will save you here—memorize key hormones and their functions for the endocrine system.
Week 4: Focus on Diagnostic Exams and Radiology
- Focus: You’ll need to understand the terms related to diagnostic tools and medical imaging.
- Chapters to Cover: 21. Medical Terms for Diagnostic Exams 22. Radiology, Pharmacology, and Oncology Terms
- Action Plan:
- Study diagnostic terms and watch real-life examples of how they work, like this video on YouTube: Radiology Masterclass.
- Quiz yourself on radiology terms like CT, MRI, and PET scans.
- Pro Tip: Pay special attention to radiology positions and imaging techniques—they can be tricky but are essential for the exam.
Week 5: Review & Practice
- Focus: It’s crunch time—time to review everything and practice!
- Action Plan:
- Take mock quizzes on Quizlet or check out the practice exams on Study.com Health 103: Medical Terminology to test your knowledge.
- Create a cheat sheet of the most commonly used terms and abbreviations.
- Pro Tip: Focus on your weakest areas and keep drilling them with flashcards and quick videos.
Week 6: Final Review & Exam Prep
- Focus: Time for the final review and practice exams!
- Action Plan:
- Do a final pass through the toughest chapters—this is your time to brush up on anything still unclear.
- Take the full practice exam on Study.com and analyze your mistakes.
- Relax, take deep breaths, and keep your notes handy for quick reviews.
- Pro Tip: Make sure to rest well before the exam—your brain needs to be sharp!
By breaking down the material week by week, you’ll keep the stress at bay and stay on track. It’s all about consistent effort, so just keep going! You’ve got this.
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Free External Resources to Study📂
You will obtain the most fascinating tools for your study journey from study.com Health 103: Medical Terminology. But it is wise to also have other tools in your arsenal. Below is a list of the free high-quality resources available online that may be helpful in refreshing your knowledge in case you need another angle when you get lost or just need some extra practice.
- YouTube Channels & Playlists
- Osmosis: This channel makes it easy to understand some difficult medical issues in simple easy-to-grasp videos. In my opinion, it is a good reference for learning anatomical structures and organization of the body, medical terminology, and more.
- Armando Hasudungan: One of the most famous presenters drawing on paper, Armando’s videos are ideal for understanding complex topics, including the nervous system, the endocrine system, and various tests.
- CrashCourse Anatomy & Physiology: A great second list for anyone who wants an entertaining way of learning the different body systems. It is ideal, especially in viewing the relationships that exist between the systems.
- Quizlet Flashcards
- Quizlet – Medical Terminology Flashcards: A set of flashcards that may help learners when practicing medical terms. You can click on them to edit them or create your own which are more suited to your weak parts.
- Quizlet – Nervous System Terminology: This particular set relates to terms used in the nervous system. Convenient for a week’s quick appraisals or when one may be busy.
- Free Study Guides
- Khan Academy – Health & Medicine: Education portal Khan Academy provides free courses linked with health and medicine and their topics, including anatomy and physiology. Although it will not be used to teach expressions related to medicine, It is great for the repetition of concepts.
- OpenMD’s Medical Dictionary: This free medical dictionary helps you quickly look up terms you might be struggling with. Bookmark it for quick access when studying!
- Practice Quizzes
- ProProfs Medical Terminology Quizzes: In addition to the given material, if you want more quizzes to enhance your information and seek more practice, ProProfs has multiple-choice questions to check and find out whether you have studied enough or not.
Maintaining the usage of these free resources in addition to the study.com resources will benefit you significantly. Besides, it will be fascinating always to use different tools for your study sessions will not be boring. Search for the format that suits you; do not forget that you can switch between the sources when one of them is more appropriate for a quick explanation.
You have all the essentials to be successful in this course; you don’t need anybody else!
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Key Topics to Focus On🔑
In the course of your studies, you will come across several important topics that will be significant in the final exam. These concepts are not only encountered quite often but are also used as the key to understanding more complicated information. To make these easier to compare, let’s break them down and line up critical points.
1. Nervous System Terminology: Central vs. Peripheral Nervous System
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Central Nervous System (CNS)
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
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Consists of the brain and spinal cord
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Consists of sensory and motor neurons throughout the body
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Processes and interprets sensory input
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Gathers sensory information and controls body actions
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Responsible for complex functions like thinking and reflexes
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Divided into sensory and motor divisions that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
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Example: Interprets pain signals from a burn
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Example: Sends signals to muscles to pull your hand away from the heat
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Key Tip: This is well likely to feature on the exam so make sure to grasp the roles of CNS and PNS as well the manner in which it coordinates body functions.
2. Endocrine System: Hormones and Glands
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Gland
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Hormones Released
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Function
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Pituitary Gland
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Growth hormone, TSH
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Regulates other glands; promotes growth
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Thyroid Gland
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T3, T4
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Controls metabolism
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Adrenal Glands
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Cortisol, adrenaline
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Manages stress response, controls blood pressure
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Pancreas
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Insulin, glucagon
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Regulates blood sugar levels
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Real-World Example: Have you ever felt agitated or high during a stressful event the new adrenaline in your body is the creation of your adrenal glands! Being aware of the ways hormones operate in your body in regular existence will support your knowledge of those concepts.
3. Diagnostic Imaging: X-rays vs. MRI
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X-rays
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MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
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Uses ionizing radiation to capture images of bones and tissues
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Uses magnetic fields and radio waves to capture detailed images, especially of soft tissues
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Quick, effective for bones and detecting fractures
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Ideal for detecting soft tissue issues, such as ligament tears or brain abnormalities
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Example: Diagnosing a broken bone
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Example: Visualizing a brain tumor
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Key Tip: Understanding when a doctor would use an X-ray versus an MRI is essential. It’s also a great example of the practical application of radiology terms.
4. Common Medical Terms: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
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Prefix
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Meaning
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Example
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Hyper-
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Above normal
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Hyperthermia (above normal body temperature)
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Hypo-
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Below normal
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Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
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-itis
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Inflammation
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Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
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-ectomy
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Surgical removal
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Appendectomy (removal of the appendix)
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Pro Tip: It will be helpful to learn some of the usual prefixes and suffixes in the exam so that you won’t get lost while decoding some terms.
If you stick to these topics, then you will have a very good preparation for the exam. As seen in the comparisons and the real examples used above, it also has the benefit of making the learning process very easy without having to be overwhelmed by the content can be broken down into small bits that are easy to absorb. You’ve got this!
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Study.com Health 103 FAQ❓
- How much medical terminology do I need to memorize?
Focus on understanding common prefixes, suffixes, and roots to decode unfamiliar terms easily. Prioritize frequently tested terms like “-itis” for inflammation and “-ectomy” for removal.
- How are the exams structured?
Exams are mostly multiple-choice, testing your ability to recognize, define, and apply medical terms. Expect questions that challenge you to differentiate between similar terms and understand real-world applications.
- What are the most difficult concepts in this course?
The nervous and endocrine systems are often tricky due to the volume of terms and processes involved. Creating comparison tables and breaking the systems down into smaller parts can help simplify them.
- Are there quizzes or assignments?
Yes, quizzes are included after each lesson, helping reinforce key concepts. These quizzes often cover the most tested material, so use them to assess your understanding.
- What should I do if I fall behind?
Prioritize key topics like the cardiovascular and nervous systems, and use external resources to catch up. Stick to the weekly study plan but adjust it to focus on essential concepts first.
- How can I make this material easier to remember?
Use mnemonic devices, flashcards, or apps like Quizlet to break down and memorize terms. Grouping related terms and finding patterns in medical prefixes and suffixes can also make studying easier.
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Conclusion 📄
In wrapping up, study.com Health 103: Medical Terminology doesn’t have to be difficult. With a carefully laid study plan and a general understanding of the concepts, it is easy to maneuver around and pass this exam using free tools such as flashcards, and YouTube tutorials among others. These skills are very basic and informative and can be of great use to you throughout your career in health care. As always, it is all in the repetition and the time one is willing to spend to learn how the different medical words are constructed. Study smart, have good organizational skills and you will succeed!
