What is Medical?
Medical is the practice of treating illness and injury with therapeutic interventions such as drugs, surgery and physical therapy. Contemporary medicine is generally conducted within health care systems, which provide funding, credentialing and legal frameworks. These systems vary widely, but most developed countries have established national health insurance schemes which guarantee access to affordable medical care for all their citizens.
The development of medical science and its application to clinical practice is an ongoing process. Modern medicine incorporates research from many other fields, such as biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, to study complex biological processes and develop new treatment strategies. Medical scientists are also influenced by societal values and expectations, including ethical and religious beliefs, as they seek to improve the lives of their patients.
Historically, medical science has often been founded on the work of individuals such as Hippocrates (the “father of medicine”) who introduced scientific observation and reasoning to the field, and Galen who developed effective surgical techniques. Physicians have continued to refine their practices and procedures based on empirical experience, and have incorporated advances in technology, such as the microscope and anesthesia, into their work.
In addition to its clinical applications, the field of medicine has a long history in the humanities and social sciences, particularly in the fields of philosophy, ethics, sociology, anthropology, history and religion. This has helped form a cultural context for understanding the nature of sickness and suffering, and has informed medical thought.
Most of medicine’s subfields are categorized into either “medicine” or “surgery”, with most subspecialties of internal medicine requiring preliminary training in the discipline, leading to membership of the Royal College of Physicians in the UK. Other specialty areas are based on specific organ systems, such as gynaecology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and haematology. Other specialties may be based on particular diseases, such as infectious disease, on methods of diagnosis, such as radiology and pathology, or on particular treatment approaches, such as pharmacology or surgery.
Medical literature is often published in the form of case reports or case series, which present patient cases that share a common characteristic. These studies allow researchers to identify patterns of presentation, diagnostic approach and/or management that can be used to inform clinical practice. Other types of articles include editorials and commentaries, which provide perspectives on current clinical or non-clinical topics and often contain opinion and editorialization. Some medical journals have departments devoted to the publication of these articles. A number of medical books are also written in a more narrative style, and often focus on personal stories of the author’s clinical experiences. This can be a powerful way to communicate medical information to readers. It can also help to create a more accessible bridge between the medical and laypersons. Such works are most often found in the literature of the medical humanities. These can be found in the JAAPA The Art of Medicine department. This is in contrast to the more technical publications that are typically found in medical journals, such as peer-reviewed clinical research articles or medical news and updates.
Medical is the practice of treating illness and injury with therapeutic interventions such as drugs, surgery and physical therapy. Contemporary medicine is generally conducted within health care systems, which provide funding, credentialing and legal frameworks. These systems vary widely, but most developed countries have established national health insurance schemes which guarantee access to affordable medical care for all their citizens. The development of medical science and its application to clinical practice is an ongoing process. Modern medicine incorporates research from many other fields, such as biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, to study complex biological processes and develop new treatment strategies. Medical scientists are also influenced by societal values and expectations, including ethical and religious beliefs, as they seek to improve the lives of their patients. Historically, medical science has often been founded on the work of individuals such as Hippocrates (the “father of medicine”) who introduced scientific observation and reasoning to the field, and Galen who developed effective surgical techniques. Physicians have continued to refine their practices and procedures based on empirical experience, and have incorporated advances in technology, such as the microscope and anesthesia, into their work. In addition to its clinical applications, the field of medicine has a long history in the humanities and social sciences, particularly in the fields of philosophy, ethics, sociology, anthropology, history and religion. This has helped form a cultural context for understanding the nature of sickness and suffering, and has informed medical thought. Most of medicine’s subfields are categorized into either “medicine” or “surgery”, with most subspecialties of internal medicine requiring preliminary training in the discipline, leading to membership of the Royal College of Physicians in the UK. Other specialty areas are based on specific organ systems, such as gynaecology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and haematology. Other specialties may be based on particular diseases, such as infectious disease, on methods of diagnosis, such as radiology and pathology, or on particular treatment approaches, such as pharmacology or surgery. Medical literature is often published in the form of case reports or case series, which present patient cases that share a common characteristic. These studies allow researchers to identify patterns of presentation, diagnostic approach and/or management that can be used to inform clinical practice. Other types of articles include editorials and commentaries, which provide perspectives on current clinical or non-clinical topics and often contain opinion and editorialization. Some medical journals have departments devoted to the publication of these articles. A number of medical books are also written in a more narrative style, and often focus on personal stories of the author’s clinical experiences. This can be a powerful way to communicate medical information to readers. It can also help to create a more accessible bridge between the medical and laypersons. Such works are most often found in the literature of the medical humanities. These can be found in the JAAPA The Art of Medicine department. This is in contrast to the more technical publications that are typically found in medical journals, such as peer-reviewed clinical research articles or medical news and updates.