What Is Medicine?
Medicine is the science of health care and includes all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. It also involves the study of human nature and behavior.
Medical care is delivered by doctors, dentists and other professionals who are trained to provide medical services to patients and their families. Other highly-trained health professionals, such as nurses and emergency medical technicians, assist with the delivery of care.
Doctors diagnose diseases and other disorders, prescribe medications, and perform surgery on patients to treat or cure them. They can also work with other health professionals in order to improve the overall functioning of the body.
In modern times, the practice of medicine has diversified into many subspecialties that deal with certain areas of the human body or organ system. Specialties include internal medicine (IM), obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), neurology, paediatrics, physical therapy, podiatry and orthopedics.
There are a number of professional associations for physicians and related professionals that set standards for their field. These organizations also serve as a source of information for physicians and the public.
Specialization is the process of gaining additional training in a particular area of medical expertise. The process typically begins with the completion of a degree in a medical specialty and continues with postgraduate vocational training. There are also a variety of other ways that professionals may acquire their training and become experts in their fields, including internships, clinical fellowships, residency programs, and research opportunities.
Physicians are often required to be licensed and certified in their field. Certification may be by a specific college or university, or through a combination of standardized examinations and practical experience. In some countries, such as the United States, licensing is regulated by the Board of Medical Examiners and other state or federal agencies.
In addition, some countries have developed a system of universal health care that guarantees access to medical services by all members of the society. The goal of such a system is to reduce the economic burden of illness on the individual and family and ensure that all have access to necessary treatment when needed.
A major goal of clinical research is to determine which therapies are effective in treating which diseases. This is done by performing randomized, controlled clinical trials that compare one treatment with another to see which is better.
Besides proving the efficacy of a new drug or technique, such studies can also help discover causes and mechanisms of diseases. Researchers can then use this information to develop improved treatments.
Medical scientists are the experts in understanding the processes involved in how the body works. They investigate the biology, chemistry, and physics of how cells, tissues, and organs function. They also investigate how the environment affects the function of cells and tissues.
Other scientific disciplines in medicine include medical physics, microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics. Some of these disciplines are closely linked to clinical practice, while others are used to support it.
Medicine is the science of health care and includes all aspects of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. It also involves the study of human nature and behavior. Medical care is delivered by doctors, dentists and other professionals who are trained to provide medical services to patients and their families. Other highly-trained health professionals, such as nurses and emergency medical technicians, assist with the delivery of care. Doctors diagnose diseases and other disorders, prescribe medications, and perform surgery on patients to treat or cure them. They can also work with other health professionals in order to improve the overall functioning of the body. In modern times, the practice of medicine has diversified into many subspecialties that deal with certain areas of the human body or organ system. Specialties include internal medicine (IM), obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), neurology, paediatrics, physical therapy, podiatry and orthopedics. There are a number of professional associations for physicians and related professionals that set standards for their field. These organizations also serve as a source of information for physicians and the public. Specialization is the process of gaining additional training in a particular area of medical expertise. The process typically begins with the completion of a degree in a medical specialty and continues with postgraduate vocational training. There are also a variety of other ways that professionals may acquire their training and become experts in their fields, including internships, clinical fellowships, residency programs, and research opportunities. Physicians are often required to be licensed and certified in their field. Certification may be by a specific college or university, or through a combination of standardized examinations and practical experience. In some countries, such as the United States, licensing is regulated by the Board of Medical Examiners and other state or federal agencies. In addition, some countries have developed a system of universal health care that guarantees access to medical services by all members of the society. The goal of such a system is to reduce the economic burden of illness on the individual and family and ensure that all have access to necessary treatment when needed. A major goal of clinical research is to determine which therapies are effective in treating which diseases. This is done by performing randomized, controlled clinical trials that compare one treatment with another to see which is better. Besides proving the efficacy of a new drug or technique, such studies can also help discover causes and mechanisms of diseases. Researchers can then use this information to develop improved treatments. Medical scientists are the experts in understanding the processes involved in how the body works. They investigate the biology, chemistry, and physics of how cells, tissues, and organs function. They also investigate how the environment affects the function of cells and tissues. Other scientific disciplines in medicine include medical physics, microbiology, molecular biology, and genetics. Some of these disciplines are closely linked to clinical practice, while others are used to support it.