Curricula 3. Health professions curricula typically prepares students to be fluent in medical terminology in one of two ways. The course of study includes 1) a medical terminology course or 2) an opportunity to gain experience in deciphering medical terms in several courses throughout the curriculum. For example, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, or a course that serves as an introduction to the specific health care discipline may include opportunities to learn medical terminology. Regardless of how the medical terminology content is offered to
students, the basic objectives are teaching students to: § Define medical terms using suffixes, roots, and prefixes. § Pronounce and spell medical terms correctly. § Identify and understand medical abbreviations.
The challenge becomes meeting these objectives. Unfortunately, too often students are given a list of words and abbreviations to memorize on their own, particularly when the content is integrated into a course with other content. The evaluation of their competence in using this terminology is through recognition of medical terms on a written exam or on students’ ability to use the terms appropriately in assigned written work. Little attention may be paid to the ability of students to pronounce terms correctly or to effectively integrate the knowledge the medical term represents into their care of patients. 4. For more than 25 years, research has demonstrated that when students are cognitively, emotionally, and socially engaged with the material to be learned, they are more likely to retain the content and apply it in a variety of contexts (Eyler, 2018). To accomplish these goals, what strategies can be used to foster student engagement with medical terminology in a meaningful way? Publisher Materials With the advent of online delivery of content, students can use ebooks and a wide range of supplemental online activities that increase student engagement when studying medical terminology. Student Engagement: The Key to Success For example, resources by F. A. Davis supplement their medical terminology texts (or ebooks) with Medical Language Lab . This lab provides an opportunity for a student to independently search for an appropriate word, choose the appropriate spelling, and find words in a crossword format. Students also are given the opportunity to identify pictures associated with the word as a memory tool, label parts of the anatomy with appropriate terms, and practice combining root words with prefixes and/or suffixes to describe medical situations. Using auditory learning, students can also hear how a term is pronounced, allowing them to emulate the pronunciation delivered by audio until they can pronounce the term without difficulty. These materials are designed to catch the imagination of students and engage a variety of their senses in the learning process whether they are studying alone or with a group. As students work independently to memorize medical terminology, the use of visual imagery can be a great association technique. For example, when trying to remember what the word thrombosis means, imagining a clogged drainage pipe in as much detail as possible can help differentiate this word from others that are similar. (Think of a lot of sludge in that pipe!)
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