#med term

"You" vs. the word she told you not to worry about

Way back when my mom had my little sister, she use to constantly have issues with breast infection from breastfeeding. It’s known as mastitis.

I remember telling my young friends about it...but my dyslexic child mind had somehow mixed up the words and had started to tell people my mom had meningitis (inflammation of the brain and spinal cord). I distinctly remembering tell a bunch of people this fact throughout my young childhood. No clue why, but I told everyone.

I mean, I meant her boobs hurt but here I was telling everyone her brain had an infection. 🤦‍♂️

Hey everyone!

Welcome back! Today, I want to tackle a subject that can be intimidating for every medical assistant student: medical terminology. It can feel like you've been dropped into a new country where everyone speaks a different language.

I know that feeling well. My path to my MA certification was a bit unconventional—I was homeschooled and self-taught for my GED. That journey taught me how to break down complex subjects and figure out my own learning style. Once I got to Delta College, I applied those skills to medical terminology and found it was much more manageable than I thought. It’s not about memorizing thousands of words. It’s about learning a few key building blocks.

So, here are my top tips for mastering medical terminology and making it stick.

1. Learn the Building Blocks (Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words)

This is the most important rule of all. Instead of trying to memorize a whole word like "Cardiomyopathy," break it down into its core components.

* Cardio- (Root Word): Heart

* -myo- (Root Word): Muscle

* -pathy (Suffix): Disease

When you put them together, you get "disease of the heart muscle." It's like learning the alphabet before you learn to read. Focus on memorizing the most common prefixes, suffixes, and root words first, and everything else will fall into place.

2. Draw it Out to Lock it In

As a visual learner, I couldn’t just read a definition and move on; I had to see it. If I was studying the term Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), I would literally draw a simple stomach with a little flame coming out of it. If I was learning about a procedure like an Osteotomy, I would draw a bone with a dotted line showing where it's being cut.

The drawings don't have to be perfect—mine were definitely not! The act of visualizing and drawing the concept yourself creates a powerful connection in your brain. This technique was a game-changer for me.

3. Say it Out Loud and Use it in a Sentence

Your brain is much more likely to remember something you've said aloud. When you learn a new term, say it. Say it again. Then use it in a sentence. Don't just say, "Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver." Say, "A patient with Hepatitis has to take special precautions because it's a condition involving liver inflammation." The context helps the word stick and teaches you how to use it in a real-world setting.

4. Make It a Game with Flashcards

Flashcards are a lifesaver. I used Quizlet to create digital flashcards for every chapter of my program. I would make cards with the prefixes, suffixes, root words, and entire terms. What made it so effective was the "learn" and "test" features that force you into active recall. You can also play the matching game to quickly link definitions to words. Making it a game keeps it from feeling like a chore.

5. Speak the Language

Start using medical terminology in your daily life. Talk about anatomy with your classmates using the correct terms. Use medical language during your clinical practice. The more you immerse yourself in the language, the more natural it will become. Don't be afraid to make a mistake; that's part of the learning process!

Mastering medical terminology is a key step in becoming a confident and competent medical assistant. You've got this! Start small, break it down, and use the methods that work best for you.

Now I want to hear from you! What's the most challenging medical term you've tried to learn so far, and how did you finally make it stick? Share your tips in the comments below!

— yourMAhelper