What Is Medical?
Medical is a term that refers to any of the sciences or practices that pertain to human health and well-being. The most common modern medicine is a combination of physical therapy, pharmacology and surgery along with preventative care like vaccinations and screening tests. Most countries have a single national body that regulates the practice of medicine. Some examples are the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Physicians and the American Board of Medical Specialties.
Medical education and training varies around the world, but most systems involve initial university study (typically leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree in the United States or Canada or a Bachelor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in the US), followed by supervised clinical practice, often called residency. Despite differences in training methods, most medical disciplines share some core elements:
The patient-physician healing relationship is the foundation of modern medical care. Medical practitioners are guided by ethical principles including informed consent, respect for persons and the principle of justice. They are expected to keep up to date with medical knowledge and research. Medical ethics are also concerned with fairness, honesty and confidentiality.
Advanced industrial countries have generally established some form of universal health care, based either on public funding and delivery or compulsory private or co-operative health insurance. There is some debate about whether such arrangements improve the overall health of a population.
Primary care medical services are provided by physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who have first contact with a patient seeking treatment for an illness or injury. These professionals work in physicians’ offices, clinics and patients’ homes. Their duties include taking a detailed history, examining the patient and diagnosing or treating him or her. They may refer the patient to a specialist, provide hospital care or prescribe medication.
The history taken by a physician includes the chief complaint, family history and past medical history. The latter can be distinguished from the current medical history which consists of the present symptoms and their duration. Other relevant information is the patient’s current activity, occupation and hobbies.
Diagnostic medical services involve laboratory and imaging examinations performed in hospitals or other specialized facilities to assist physicians in diagnosis. This can include x-rays, computed tomography, ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The interpretation of these procedures is usually done by a radiologist. Some of these specialists are also involved in interventional radiology, allowing them to access the area under investigation and treat it directly. Other tertiary care medical services include burn centers, high-risk neonatal units and organ transplantation.
Medical is a term that refers to any of the sciences or practices that pertain to human health and well-being. The most common modern medicine is a combination of physical therapy, pharmacology and surgery along with preventative care like vaccinations and screening tests. Most countries have a single national body that regulates the practice of medicine. Some examples are the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Physicians and the American Board of Medical Specialties. Medical education and training varies around the world, but most systems involve initial university study (typically leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree in the United States or Canada or a Bachelor of Osteopathic Medicine degree in the US), followed by supervised clinical practice, often called residency. Despite differences in training methods, most medical disciplines share some core elements: The patient-physician healing relationship is the foundation of modern medical care. Medical practitioners are guided by ethical principles including informed consent, respect for persons and the principle of justice. They are expected to keep up to date with medical knowledge and research. Medical ethics are also concerned with fairness, honesty and confidentiality. Advanced industrial countries have generally established some form of universal health care, based either on public funding and delivery or compulsory private or co-operative health insurance. There is some debate about whether such arrangements improve the overall health of a population. Primary care medical services are provided by physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners who have first contact with a patient seeking treatment for an illness or injury. These professionals work in physicians’ offices, clinics and patients’ homes. Their duties include taking a detailed history, examining the patient and diagnosing or treating him or her. They may refer the patient to a specialist, provide hospital care or prescribe medication. The history taken by a physician includes the chief complaint, family history and past medical history. The latter can be distinguished from the current medical history which consists of the present symptoms and their duration. Other relevant information is the patient’s current activity, occupation and hobbies. Diagnostic medical services involve laboratory and imaging examinations performed in hospitals or other specialized facilities to assist physicians in diagnosis. This can include x-rays, computed tomography, ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging. The interpretation of these procedures is usually done by a radiologist. Some of these specialists are also involved in interventional radiology, allowing them to access the area under investigation and treat it directly. Other tertiary care medical services include burn centers, high-risk neonatal units and organ transplantation.