| Word | Part of Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| adopt | verb | The clinic adopted a new policy. |
| align | verb | The symptoms align with a flu diagnosis. |
| counterpart | noun | The synthetic drug has a natural counterpart. |
| commercial | noun | I hate drug company commercials. |
| crappy (slang) | adjective | I worked yesterday even though I felt crappy. |
| despise | verb | I despise big pharma. |
| distribute | verb | We distributed vitamins to the children. |
| evolve | verb | Medical technology is always evolving. |
| fulfill | verb | I want to fulfill my dream of becoming a radiologist. |
| gauge | verb / noun | Please gauge the patient’s pain level. |
| gripe | verb | That patient is always griping; he’s a hypochondriac. |
| obligatory | verb | This medication is not optional, it’s obligatory. |
| recall | verb / noun | There was a safety recall of that drug. |
| rotate | verb | My schedule rotates; I work nights for two weeks then days for two weeks. |
| spread | verb | That disease spread quickly. |
| status | noun | Is the status still critical? |
| sympathise | verb | I sympathise with that family; everyone in their household is sick! |
| to count on somebody | phrase | You can always count on that doctor. She’s the best! |
Medical Terminology
| Word | Part of Speech | Example |
|---|---|---|
| brand | adjective | The brand name of the drug is Advil. |
| capsule | noun | I think that capsule is too big to swallow. |
| cream | noun | What percent is that hydrocortisone cream? |
| compound | noun / verb | We need to compound this medication for each, individual patient. |
| dentist | noun | My dentist fixed my tooth. |
| generic | adjective | The generic name of the drug is ibuprofen. |
| MA | noun | The medical assistant checked the patient’s vital signs. / The MA checked the patient’s vital signs. |
| ointment | noun | Can you compound an ointment for me? |
| oral | noun | Is this medication taken orally? |
| OTC | abbreviation | The medication is available over the counter. / The medication is available OTC. |
| PA | noun | The physician’s assistant wrote a prescription for the patient. / The PA wrote a prescription for the patient. |
| pill | noun | Does that pill come in tablets or capsules? |
| radiation | noun | This led pad will protect you from radiation. |
| Rx | abbreviation | The doctor ordered a new prescription for the patient. / The doctor ordered a new Rx for the patient. |
| saline | noun | We need another IV saline drip. |
| solution | noun | What are the ingredients for that solution? |
| syringe | noun | What size syringe do you want to use, doctor? |
| tablet | noun | That is a 5mg tablet. |
| topical | noun | The dentist ordered a topical anesthetic. |
Because saving time is so important in the medical field, to ensure the best care for patients, doctors use short abbreviations in their notes and when writing prescriptions. It is important to learn these codes if you plan on working in the medical field. A doctor’s directions on a prescription is called a “sig”.
Specialized Terminology: Sig Codes
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ac | before meals |
| bid | twice a day |
| c | with |
| g | gram |
| gtt | drop |
| h | hour |
| IV | intravenously |
| IM | intramuscular |
| kg | kilogram |
| ml | milliliter |
| po | by mouth; orally |
| prn | as needed |
| q | every |
| tid | three times daily |
Exercise
Please open the exercise to continue.