What is Medical?
Medical is a term used to describe the fields of study and practice that are focused on human health. This includes studies and practices related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and injuries of humans. It also encompasses related studies and practices that are aimed at promoting human wellbeing through diet, exercise, and the use of various medicines and interventions.
Many different medical disciplines have evolved from early Western traditions based on herbalism and the ancient Greek “four humours”. Modern scientific biomedical research began with Edward Jenner’s development of the smallpox vaccine in the 18th century, followed by Robert Koch’s discovery of bacteria-transmitted disease and the antibiotics in the 1900s.
A doctor’s speciality often determines their career path and focus. A physician can choose to specialise in general medicine, which deals with all aspects of the body and its diseases; forensic medicine is about death investigations; paediatrics deals with children’s healthcare; and obstetrics or gynaecology (abbreviated as OB/GYN in US English and Obs & Gynae in British English) deals with childbirth and female reproductive organs.
Other areas of medical study include cytology, which is about the microscopic structure of cells; histology, which looks at tissue samples under a microscope; and biochemistry, which is about the chemical processes within living organisms. Medical genetics is about hereditary disease, while neurology is about disorders of the nervous system. Clinical neurophysiology is about recording and analysing electrical activity in the brain and spinal cord; subspecialties include electroencephalography, evoked potentials, and nerve conduction studies.
Medical writing is often highly technical and uses a lot of jargon; it is important to write clearly, concisely, and at a moderate pace. It is unwise to offend the reader, especially as healthcare can be a sensitive subject; bitter or angry tone can reflect poorly on the author and damage the credibility of the article.
The use of information technology in hospitals and clinics has made patient records more reliable. For example, results of lab tests and details of drug orders are all electronically recorded and stored in a central database that can be accessed by all doctors and nurses. This has reduced errors and allows nurses to more reliably check that they have given a patient the correct dosages of medication. It also makes it easier to analyse trends and causes of ailments using large amounts of data. This can lead to better treatments and new drugs in the future. For patients, the electronic records make it much easier to understand their own medical procedures and treatments. Some institutions allow patients to access their own information via the internet as well. This makes the patient feel involved and empowered in their own healthcare.
Medical is a term used to describe the fields of study and practice that are focused on human health. This includes studies and practices related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and injuries of humans. It also encompasses related studies and practices that are aimed at promoting human wellbeing through diet, exercise, and the use of various medicines and interventions. Many different medical disciplines have evolved from early Western traditions based on herbalism and the ancient Greek “four humours”. Modern scientific biomedical research began with Edward Jenner’s development of the smallpox vaccine in the 18th century, followed by Robert Koch’s discovery of bacteria-transmitted disease and the antibiotics in the 1900s. A doctor’s speciality often determines their career path and focus. A physician can choose to specialise in general medicine, which deals with all aspects of the body and its diseases; forensic medicine is about death investigations; paediatrics deals with children’s healthcare; and obstetrics or gynaecology (abbreviated as OB/GYN in US English and Obs & Gynae in British English) deals with childbirth and female reproductive organs. Other areas of medical study include cytology, which is about the microscopic structure of cells; histology, which looks at tissue samples under a microscope; and biochemistry, which is about the chemical processes within living organisms. Medical genetics is about hereditary disease, while neurology is about disorders of the nervous system. Clinical neurophysiology is about recording and analysing electrical activity in the brain and spinal cord; subspecialties include electroencephalography, evoked potentials, and nerve conduction studies. Medical writing is often highly technical and uses a lot of jargon; it is important to write clearly, concisely, and at a moderate pace. It is unwise to offend the reader, especially as healthcare can be a sensitive subject; bitter or angry tone can reflect poorly on the author and damage the credibility of the article. The use of information technology in hospitals and clinics has made patient records more reliable. For example, results of lab tests and details of drug orders are all electronically recorded and stored in a central database that can be accessed by all doctors and nurses. This has reduced errors and allows nurses to more reliably check that they have given a patient the correct dosages of medication. It also makes it easier to analyse trends and causes of ailments using large amounts of data. This can lead to better treatments and new drugs in the future. For patients, the electronic records make it much easier to understand their own medical procedures and treatments. Some institutions allow patients to access their own information via the internet as well. This makes the patient feel involved and empowered in their own healthcare.