5 Creative Ways to Quickly Learn Medical Terminology (And Remember It)

Much of medical terminology has unfamiliar sounding Greek and Latin roots, often making them challenging for people to remember.

As a healthcare professional, it's not uncommon to come across medical terminology which is simply foreign to you. However, to be successful, healthcare students need to be able to read and understand all sorts of medical terms, even if they're caught off guard in clinical settings and in internships without time to look up the term.

It's important to prepare ahead of time, and keep the terms you're learning in your science courses today fresh in your mind tomorrow and for years ahead.

There's no way around it, if you want to be viewed as competent and intelligent, you must have a strong understanding of medical terminology.

But how do you learn medical terminology easily?

By using different tools and methods of learning and committing to memory the basics of medical terminology, you'll be able to understand and use the proper terminology in whatever situation you find yourself in. Follow these tips for learning medical terms quickly and easily.

#1 First Learn Greek and Latin Roots

 

Before anything else, you must understand that most medical terms are derived from Latin or Greek. By learning the Greek and Latin roots most often used in medicine, you'll be able to quickly and easily figure out the meaning of almost any term you'll come across in your career.

For example: when you hear about hepatitis, you may not know right away what the terms signifies. But, if you know the meaning of its roots, you can easily figure out what its referring to. In hepatitis, the itis is Latin for inflammation (though the origin of "itis" can be traced back to the Greek for "pertaining to"), and hepato refers to the liver. Combined, we get that hepatitis is a disease that deals with an inflammation of the liver. That alone doesnt tell you everything about the disease, but knowing what it refers to already helps you better understand what you're dealing with.

You can take classes or get a tutor, in addition to practicing the most common Latin and Greek root words on your own. The easiest way to start is to create a spreadsheet with these words, and practice memorizing about five terms per day so you dont get overwhelmed. Also, writing down the root words and saying them out loud will further help you retain them in your long-term memory.

#2 Use Your Textbooks

Heres an obvious one -- use those textbooks you bought to learn medical terminology in context. Medical textbooks are a great source for memorizing terms, because they use different ways of presenting the information.

Make sure you review the pictures and their captions, as well as other materials which commonly come with textbooks, like online guides, CDs, and study packets.

#3 Rewrite Terms

Rewrite important terms to improve your memory of those words. It goes without saying that this requires writing them by hand. Typing notes doesnt have the same effect.

Writing and rewriting has been shown improve both memory and understanding of what you're studying. For the best results, write terms (and their meanings) 5 to 10 times. Repetition speeds up the memory process.

#4 Flashcards

Flashcards are a great option for visual learners. Cards can give you a visual cue to connect with the medical terminology you're learning. Plus, flashcards are cheap! You can make them at home with some construction paper and a marker for the most inexpensive study aid you can find. In addition to the affordability of making homemade flashcards, this has the added benefit of rewriting the terms, so with this strategy you’re getting double the return.

If making your own flashcards isn't for you, you can always find professionally made flashcards in bookstores and online. An added bonus to the pre-made cards is they often feature images that can help you remember the medical terms visually.

#5 Play Games

Everyone loves a good game, and games can help you learn medical terminology in a way which isn’t as boring as traditional learning methods. This is especially helpful when you play games in a group and with some sort of a prize.

The easiest game to play is “Medical Terminology Jeopardy.” Make index cards with categories based on Latin or Greek or body parts, then have cards for the descriptions of the medical terms which have the answer on the back. You can play this Jeopardy game as individuals or as a team.

Another option is to create a bingo-like game with one person reading out the definitions and players marking the terminology on their board. If you would like to play games on your own, there are free medical term quizzes you can find online, which combine traditional studying with online gaming to help with retention.

What's Your Best Strategy?

While these are all great ways to learn medical terminology, the best way to learn is based on what works best for you. If you cannot sit still long enough to go over a 100 question quiz, then you have to try something else. For most people, the best way to learn is by using some combination of these tips and using them everyday until you have a solid understanding of the common medical terms you have to understand.

Do you have tips for studying and learning medical terminology that isn’t on this list? Please share with us and leave a comment!