Contact Details
Ph +61 7 5562 1088
Fax +61 7 5562 1099
Click here to return to the homepage

Medical Terminology

Course CodeBSC109
Fee CodeS2
Duration (approx)100 hours
QualificationStatement of Attainment

Credentials

Distance Education or Online Course

Learn what Medical Terms Mean. Communicate more effectively with Doctors and other professionals in the health industries.

  • Learn to decipher a medical term; breaking down it's components, to understand it's meaning
  • Improve your opportunity to work in a medical support position (eg. front desk for a practitioner)
  • Expand your knowledge of human biology and health science

A special course designed for people working or wishing to work in medical environments, with no medical training, to develop skills to communicate clearly and effectively using medical terminology.

This course is relevant to anyone working or wishing to work in fields of health, alternative medicine or paramedical areas; such as reception for a doctor or natural therapist.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

  1. Scope and Nature of Medical Terminology
  2. Anatomical Structure
  3. Medical Equipment and Processes
  4. Pharmacological Terminology
  5. Musculoskeletal System
  6. Cardiovascular, Lymphatic and Immune Systems
  7. Respiratory and Reproductive Systems
  8. Digestive and Excretory Systems
  9. Integumentary System (Skin)
  10. Nervous and Sensory Systems

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

  • Communicate clearly and effectively using medical terminology.
  • Explain the scope and nature of terminology used in medicine and allied professions.
  • Identify the meaning of words that describe general anatomical features, including dsorders.
  • To identify the meaning of words which describe medical tools, equipment and procedures.
  • To identify the meaning of words that describe pharmacological terms.
  • To identify the meaning of words that describe physiological and anatomical features in the musculoskeletal system, including disorders.
  • To identify the meaning of words that describe physiological and anatomical features in the respiratory and reproductive systems, including disorders.
  • To identify the meaning of words that describe physiological and anatomical features in the digestive and excretory systems, including disorders.
  • To identify the meaning of words that describe physiological and anatomical features in the nervous and sensory systems, including disorders

What Does it Mean?

Medicine has a language all it's own.

If you want to work with Doctors, Nurses or other Health Practitioners; you need to be able to communicate with them. This course helps you to do just that.

MEDICAL ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS (extract from part of this course)

<td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 356.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-

 

It's Easy to Enrol

Select a Learning Method

I am studying from...

Enable Javascript to automatically update prices.

All prices in Australian Dollars.

Payment plans available.

Courses can be started at any time from anywhere in the world!
Send details to a friend


  2012 is ACS's 33rd year in business! Click here to read about our history.

A

AA Alcoholics Anonymous

AAA Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

ABG Arterial Blood Gases

ABMT Autologous bone marrow transplantation

ABVD Doxorubicin bleomycin vinblastine dacarbazine

a.c. Before food from the Latin, ante cibum

ACE Angiotensin converting enzyme

ACEI Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

ACL Anterior cruciate ligament

ACS American College of Surgeons

ACTH Andrenocorticoid hormone

ADA Andenosine deaminase

ADD Attention Deficit Disorder

ADH Antidiuretic hormone

ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

AF Atrial fibrillation

AFO Ankle-foot orthosis

AFP Alpha-fetoprotein

AHF Antihemophilic factor

AHG Antihemophilic globulin

AI Artificial insemination

AICD Automatic implanted cardiac defibrillator

AID Artificial insemination by donor

AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

AIH Artificial insemination by husband

ALG Antilymphocytic globulin

ALL Acute Lymphocytic leukaemia

ALPS Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome

ALS Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

ALS Advanced Life Support

ALT Alanine Transfer

AMA Anti-mitochondrial antibodies

AMA Australian Medical Association

AMA American Medical Association

AMC Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita

AML Acute myelocytic leukaemia

AMP Adenosine monophosphate

AMS Atypical measles syndrome

ANA Anti-nuclear bodies

ANCA Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies

ANF Atrial natriuretic factor

ANF Anti-natriuretic factor

ANP Anti-natriuretic peptide

ANP Atrial natriuretic peptide

ANUG Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis

AP Alkaline Phosphatase

APECED Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy

APLS Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

APSAC Anisoylated plasminogen streptokinase activator complex

APS Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome

APTT Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time

ARC Aids related complex

ARDS Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome

ART Antiretroviral therapy

ARM Artificial rupture of membranes

ASA Acetylsalicylic acid – commonly known as aspirin

AS Aortic stenosis

ASCD Arteriosclerosis coronary artery disease

ASD Atrial septal defect

ASO Antistreptolysine O

AST Asparagine Transferase

ATG Antithymic globulin

AT-III Antithrombin III

ATP Acute thrombocytopenic purpura

ATP Adenosine triphosphate

AVM Arteriovenous malformation

AVR Aortic valve replacement

AZT Azidothymidine



B

BAL Brochoalveolar lavage

BAL British anti-lewisite

BAO Basic acid output

BCG Bacillus Calmette Guerain ( a tuberculosis vaccine)

b.d. Twice daily from the Latin, bis die

BE Base excess

BK Bacterium Koch

BMC Bone mass content

BMD Bone mass density

BMI Body mass index

BMR Basal metabolic rate

BMT Bone marrow transplantation

BNF British National Formulary

BNP Brain natriuretic peptide

BP Blood Pressure

BP Bipolar disorder

BPD Borderline personality disorder

BPH Benign prostatic hyperplasia

BPM Beats per minute

BSE Bovine spongiform encephalopathy

BSP Bromsulphthalein

BUN Blood urea nitrogen



C

CABG Coronary arterial bypass graft

cAMP Cyclic adenosine monophosphate

Ca Carcinoma

CAH Chronic active hepatitis

CAH Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

CAT Computed axial tomography

CAPD Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

CDC Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

CEA Carcinoembryonic antigen

CF Cystic fibrosis

cGMP Cyclic guanosine monophosphate

ChE Cholinesterase

CHE Cholinesterase

CHF Congestive heart failure

CI Confidence interval

CJD Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

CK Creatine kinase

CLL Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

CML Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

CMML Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

CMV Cytomegalovirus

COLD Chronic obstructive lung disease

COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

CO Cardiac output

CO Carbon monoxide

COX-1 Cyclooxygenase 1

COX-2 Cyclooxygenase 2

CPAP Continuous positive airway pressure

CPK Creatine Phosphokinase

CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

CREST Calcinosis Raynaud Oesophagus Sclerosis Teleangiectasiae

CRF Chronic renal failure

CRH Corticotropin Releasing Hormone

CRI Chronic renal insufficiency

CRF Corticotropin releasing factor

CRP C-reactive protein

CR Complete remission

CS Caesarean section

CsA Cyclosporin A

CSF Cerebrospinal fluid

CT Computed axial tomography

CVA Central venous pressure

CVID Common Variable Immunodeficiency



D

DPB Diastolic blood pressure

DCM Dilated cardiomyopathy

DDD Daily defined doses

DHEA-S Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate

DHE Dihydoergotamine

DIC Disseminated intravacular coagulation

DPT Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus

DiPerTe Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus

DiTe Diphtheria Tetanus

DM Diabetes Mellitus

DNA Desoxyribonucleic acid

DNR Do Not Resuscitate

DO Doctor of Optometry or Doctor of Osteopathy

DOA Dead on Arrival

DTP Diphtheria Tetanus Pertussis

DT Diphtheria Tetanus

DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis

DEXA Dual Energy Xray Absorptiometry



E



EACA Epsilon- aminocaproic acid

EBM Evidence based medicine

ECG Electrocardiogram

EDRF Endothelium- derived relaxing factor

EEG Electroencephalogram

EKG Electrocardiogram

ECPW Endoskopowa cholangiopankreatografia wsteczna

E Erythrocytes

EF Ejection Fraction

EGP Epidermal Growth Factor

EKG Electrocardiogram

EMLSCS Emergency lower segment Caesarean Section

ELLSCS Elective lower segment Caesarean Section

ELISA Enzyme – linked Immunosorbent Assay

EMC Encephalomyocarditis

EMF Endomyocardial fibrosis

EMG Electromyography

ENT Ear Neck and Throat (Otolaryngology)

EPH Edema Proteinuria Hypertension

EPO Erythropoietin

ERCP Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

ESR Erythocyte sedimentation rate

ESWL Extracorporal Shockwave Lithotripsy

ET Endothelin

ETOH Ethanol or ethyl alcohol

EUS Endoscopic Ultrasonography



F



FDA Food and Drug Administration

FDP Fibrinogen Degradation Products

FEV1 Forced Expiratory Volume 1 – second

Fe Iron

FFA Free Fatty acids

FFP Fresh Frozen Plasma

FHR Foetal heart rate

FSE Foetal Scalp Electrode

FSH Follicle stimulating hormone

FTA-ABS Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody

FTA Fluorescent Treponemal Antibody



G

G6PD Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase

GABA Gamma-aminobutyric acid

GCS Glasgow Coma Scale

GDLH Glutamate dehydrogenase

GERD Gastro-oesophagus reflux disease

GFR Glomerular filtrate rate

GGTP Gamma glutamyltranspeptisade

GH Growth Hormone

GHRF Growth Hormone releasing factor

GITS Gastrointestinal therapeutic system

GIFT Gamete intrafallopian transfer

GORD Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

GOT Glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase

GP General Practitioner

GPT Glutamic-pyruvic transaminase

GvH Graft-versus-host

GvHD Graft-versus-host disease



H

HA Hypertonia arterialis

HAV Hepatitis A Virus

HBG Haemoglobin

HB Haemoglobin

HBV Hepatitis B Virus

HCG Human Chorionic gonadotropin

HCM Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

HCT Hematocrit

HCT Hydroclorothiazide

HCV Hepatitis C Virus

HDL High density lipoprotein

HDL-C High density lipoprotein Cholesterol

HDV Hepatitis D virus

HEV Hepatitis E Virus

HGB Haemoglobin

Hib Haemophilus influenzae B

HIV Human Immunodeficiency virus

HL Hepatic lipase

HLA Human leukocyte antigens

HOCM Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy

HR Heart rate

HRT Hormone replacement therapy

HSG Hysterosalpingogram

HSV Herpes simplex virus

HTLV Human T-Lymphotropic virus

HUS Haemolytic uremic syndrome



I



IABP Intra-aortic balloon pumping

ACD-10 International Classification of Diseases 10th revision

ICD Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

ICU Intensive Care unit

IDC Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

IDDM Insulin dependant diabetes mellitus

IDL Intermediate density lipoprotein

IFG Impaired fasting Glucose

Ig Immunoglobulin

INF Interferon

INR International normalised ratio

IPPV Intermittent positive pressure ventilation

IQ Intelligence Quotient

ISA Intrinsic Sympathomimetic Activity

ISDN Isosorbide dinitrate

ISH Isolated systolic hypertension

ITP Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

IUCD Intrauterine contraceptive device

IUD Intrauterine device

IUD Intrauterine death

IU International Units

IVF In vitro fertilisation

IUI Intra-uterine insemination

IVP Intravenous pyelogram



J

K

K Potassium



L

LAD Left artery descendens

LAS Lymphadenopathy


Subscribe to the ACS Newsletter

Subscribe for Special Offers, New Services, Courses, Books, Opportunities, Free Stuff and more!