Medicine – The Branch of Science That Treats Illnesses and Prevents Illness
Medicine is a branch of science that applies scientific principles and research to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Medical research focuses on biological and physical sciences including physiology (the study of the function of bodies), anatomy (the structure of bodies), biomechanics, biophysics, genetics and microbiology. Medical technology encompasses a broad range of products used in the care of patients, from tongue depressors and surgical gloves to insulin pumps and pacemakers. The practice of contemporary medicine takes place within health care systems which are regulated by laws and policies established by governments or other institutions. These health care systems provide credentialing, financing and legal frameworks for the delivery of healthcare.
Most modern medicine is based on scientific evidence, and clinical practice is increasingly guided by diagnostic procedures. Nevertheless, many aspects of the practice of medicine remain subjective and personal. For example, ethical issues arising from decisions about what to do with sick people are complex and controversial.
Traditional and alternative medicine include a wide range of practices that have been used for thousands of years, often in conjunction with religious or spiritual beliefs. Many of these have now been incorporated into mainstream health care systems, although others are now being re-evaluated in the light of scientific evidence.
In the past, training for doctors was largely a craft (requiring considerable creativity and skill), with links to local religious and philosophical belief systems. However, today’s medicine is largely a science, and doctors are trained to work as part of a team to deliver health care.
There are many subspecialties within medicine. For example, internal medicine includes a number of different subspecialties such as gastroenterology, endocrinology and rheumatology. Family medicine, also known as general practice or primary care, is the first port of call for most patients with non-emergency problems and consists of a number of specialties such as pediatrics and geriatrics.
Other specialised fields include conservation medicine, which examines human-nonhuman animal relationships; diving medicine; and evolutionary medicine. Forensic medicine involves the examination of human remains to determine the cause of death and other information, such as the type of weapon used to inflict injury.
Medicine is a rapidly evolving field, and the scope of the discipline extends beyond treating disease to improving the quality of life through health promotion and education. This is reflected in the large number of medical journals that have departments dedicated to the humanities. Articles published in these areas are often written in a more narrative style, going beyond the sterile clinical vignette to connect with wider universal themes. Medical journal guidelines differ for the format of references, with most using either the Harvard or Vancouver system. The latter is based on the concept that authorship should be credited according to who has contributed something of value, such as intellectual input, performing experiments, generating data or writing the paper. A detailed guide to this is available from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.
Medicine is a branch of science that applies scientific principles and research to diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Medical research focuses on biological and physical sciences including physiology (the study of the function of bodies), anatomy (the structure of bodies), biomechanics, biophysics, genetics and microbiology. Medical technology encompasses a broad range of products used in the care of patients, from tongue depressors and surgical gloves to insulin pumps and pacemakers. The practice of contemporary medicine takes place within health care systems which are regulated by laws and policies established by governments or other institutions. These health care systems provide credentialing, financing and legal frameworks for the delivery of healthcare. Most modern medicine is based on scientific evidence, and clinical practice is increasingly guided by diagnostic procedures. Nevertheless, many aspects of the practice of medicine remain subjective and personal. For example, ethical issues arising from decisions about what to do with sick people are complex and controversial. Traditional and alternative medicine include a wide range of practices that have been used for thousands of years, often in conjunction with religious or spiritual beliefs. Many of these have now been incorporated into mainstream health care systems, although others are now being re-evaluated in the light of scientific evidence. In the past, training for doctors was largely a craft (requiring considerable creativity and skill), with links to local religious and philosophical belief systems. However, today’s medicine is largely a science, and doctors are trained to work as part of a team to deliver health care. There are many subspecialties within medicine. For example, internal medicine includes a number of different subspecialties such as gastroenterology, endocrinology and rheumatology. Family medicine, also known as general practice or primary care, is the first port of call for most patients with non-emergency problems and consists of a number of specialties such as pediatrics and geriatrics. Other specialised fields include conservation medicine, which examines human-nonhuman animal relationships; diving medicine; and evolutionary medicine. Forensic medicine involves the examination of human remains to determine the cause of death and other information, such as the type of weapon used to inflict injury. Medicine is a rapidly evolving field, and the scope of the discipline extends beyond treating disease to improving the quality of life through health promotion and education. This is reflected in the large number of medical journals that have departments dedicated to the humanities. Articles published in these areas are often written in a more narrative style, going beyond the sterile clinical vignette to connect with wider universal themes. Medical journal guidelines differ for the format of references, with most using either the Harvard or Vancouver system. The latter is based on the concept that authorship should be credited according to who has contributed something of value, such as intellectual input, performing experiments, generating data or writing the paper. A detailed guide to this is available from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.