Building a Medical Terminology Foundation
Textbook by Kimberlee Carter and Marie Rutherford
Includes basic structure of medical terms and components. Builds a medical vocabulary applicable to specialty fields, major diseases, physical examination terms, diagnosis and treatment.
Introduction to Medical Terminology
Medical terminology for entry-level Anatomy and Physiology students from the University of Minnesota
Open Educational Resource (OER) seeks to foster an analytical attitude in the learner. As you review the various categories presented, become aware of the structural design of the words.
An eponym is the name of a disease, device, procedure, or drug that is based on the person who invented, discovered, or first described it.
homonyms are pairs of words that are pronounced almost the same way.
Antonyms are pairs of word roots, prefixes, or suffixes that have the opposite meaning of another word
Synonyms are pairs of word roots, prefixes, or suffixes that have the same or almost the same meaning
Components of a Medical Term
Prefix is the portion that appears before the word root (can be used to indicate number of sides, limbs, or sensory organs affected, specify time, or indicate quantities that are uncountable
Suffix is the portion that appears after the word root (a suffix usually specifies a procedure, condition, disease, or part of speech)
Word root or root word is the foundation of the term ( establishes the basic meaning of the word and frequently indicates a body part)
Combining vowel is the vowel that links one or more word roots to an other component of a term
Directional Terms
superior portion of any body part is the portion above or closest to the head from a specific reference point.
inferior portion is the body part closest to the feet
medial parts of the body that is closer to the midline.
lateral In anatomy, is the parts of the body that lie farther from the midline.
Proximal describes structures that are closer to the body
Distal indicates structures that are farther from the trunk—that is, nearer to the free end of the extremity
Superficial means closer to or on the surface of the skin.
Deep means farther inside the body and away from the skin
Anterior or ventral refers to the belly side of the body
Posterior or dorsal refers to the spinal side of the body, including the back of the hand
InterActive Medical Terminology
Learn Medical Terminology in a quick and engaging way by taking this online course based on popular books by Andy Hutton.
Understanding Medical Words Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine
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 from WebMd
Online Medical Terminology Course
For individuals who are interested in learning how to better understand common medical words and meanings but do not need a certificate of completion.
Diseases & Conditions A-Z Index
Information on Diseases and Conditions from the CDC
Comprehensive guides on hundreds of conditions.
relevant and reliable medical information on diseases and conditions
The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations
Information on medical conditions from pennmedicine of the University of Pennsylvania
The Medical Heritage Library (MHL)
A digital curation collaborative among some of the world’s leading medical libraries, promotes free and open access to quality historical resources in medicine
The National Library of Medicine (NLM)
The National Library of medicine provides access to many of their resources on the history of medicine, including books, films, photographs, and more.
InterActive Medical Terminology
Learn Medical Terminology in a quick and engaging way by taking this online course based on popular books by Andy Hutton.
Understanding Medical Words Tutorial from the National Library of Medicine
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 from WebMd
Online Medical Terminology Course
For individuals who are interested in learning how to better understand common medical words and meanings but do not need a certificate of completion.
Diseases & Conditions A-Z Index
Information on Diseases and Conditions from the CDC
Comprehensive guides on hundreds of conditions.
relevant and reliable medical information on diseases and conditions
The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000 articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations
Information on medical conditions from pennmedicine of the University of Pennsylvania
The Medical Heritage Library (MHL)
A digital curation collaborative among some of the world’s leading medical libraries, promotes free and open access to quality historical resources in medicine
The National Library of Medicine (NLM)
The National Library of medicine provides access to many of their resources on the history of medicine, including books, films, photographs, and more.
