Medical Terminology Fundamentals

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$389

AUD

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$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
57471 Students

Prepare for a career in the health services industry by learning medical terminology in a memorable and enjoyable fashion.

This course teaches medical terminology from an anatomical approach. Root terms are divided by each body system. The origin, a combined form, and an example of non-medical everyday usage is provided for each root term. Word Associations are provided as a learning tool. Unusual and interesting information is provided in regards to each term. Root terms are combined with prefixes and suffixes as your learning will culminate in the interpretation of several paragraphs of medical notes.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

Welcome to the first lesson of medical terminology! We'll begin the course by exploring root terms, which represent the main meaning of a combined medical term. A combined medical term consists of a root, a prefix, and/or a suffix. As we progress through each lesson of this course, you'll see that we proceed by "body system," and in this first lesson, we'll go over root terms that are associated with the musculoskeletal system, so we'll be talking a lot about the muscles, bones, joints, and tendons of the body in this lesson.

In today's lesson, you'll learn a variety of terminology relating to the integumentary and digestive systems. The integumentary system includes the skin, connective tissues, and some loosely associated structures such as nails and teeth. When we discuss the digestive system, you'll learn medical terminology relating to the digestive tract from the mouth, to the pharynx, to the esophagus, and so on, all the way out to the exterior of the body.

In this lesson, we'll go over terminology related to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries, veins, and blood, while the respiratory system includes the lungs and assorted chest structures.

Today's topic areas are the urinary and reproductive systems. When we go over the urinary system, you'll learn terminology related to the kidneys, bladder, urine, and even some chemistry terms. When we go over the reproductive system, you'll learn root terms that refer to both male and female anatomical structures.

In this lesson, we'll finish up our discussion about root terms. You'll learn root terms that are associated with the neurosensory system, including nerves, the eyes, ears, brain, and spinal cord. Then we'll begin doing something a little different—at the end of the lesson, we'll do a little review session to help you remember all of the root terms that you've learned up to this point.

In today's lesson, you'll learn about prefixes and suffixes that are common in medicine and start with the letters A through H. Starting today, we won't be going through the word associations that we did in previous lessons. By now, you'll find that you can recognize many of these terms as they're used in our normal, everyday language.

In this lesson, we'll continue to progress through the prefixes and suffixes commonly used in medical terminology. Our objective for today is to identify the common medical prefixes and suffixes that begin with the letters I through O.

Today, we'll complete our tour through the alphabetical listings of the most common prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology by focusing on prefixes and suffixes that begin with the letters P through Z. You'll find that there are many more terms that medical professionals use less often, and you'll even discover that sometimes a root that you already know is used as a prefix or suffix.

In previous lessons, you learned about common prefixes and suffixes. In today's lesson, we'll study specific prefixes and suffixes that pertain to color. Color is used quite a bit in the medical field because it helps everyone to describe various signs and symptoms. In this lesson, we'll also go over medical abbreviations that are specific to the various occupations and titles of the medical industry. Your assignment in this lesson will change a little as your research becomes a bit more challenging.

The medical community uses an abundance of abbreviations. Some medical facilities don't allow them, but you should still learn the meanings of the most common abbreviations so you'll know them when you see them. For this lesson, we'll study the abbreviations that start with the letters A through R. Your assignment for this lesson will be a bit different—you're going to find words in a medical note that you can replace with the abbreviations that you learned in the lesson.

In this lesson, we'll finish our study of medical abbreviations as we explore the abbreviations that begin with letters S through Z. We'll also go over specific abbreviations that refer to hospital areas, laboratory tests, chemistries, and medical symbols. In today's assignment, it's up to you to find the abbreviations that correctly relate to each sentence in a medical note.

Here in our final lesson, it's time to put everything you've learned together. We'll look at our roots, prefixes, and suffixes, and see how they create combined medical terms from body system to body system. You'll also learn some directional terms that are commonly used in medicine. You'll find that your assignment for this lesson provides you the opportunity to decipher a complete medical note.

Douglas Best

Douglas Best first began working as a field medical instructor in the US Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas in 1980. He has worked as a nurse in such medical specialty areas as Pediatrics, Newborn Intensive Care, Home Health, adult cardiac, surgical ... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

Great intro to medical terminology and abbreviations; very useful to someone interested in getting into healthcare field.

Verified Student

I am new to medical terminology, and really enjoyed this course. I was not sure how much I was retaining until the final exam. It is amazing how this all sunk in.

Verified Student

I'm in the medical profession and taking the class has helped me to understand what the doctors and nurses are writing in the charts. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is thinking of taking this course. Taking it on-line has helped me a lot because of my work schedule. I was able to print it up and take it with me to work so I can study during my breaks. Thanks for being the best teacher.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Medical Terminology Fundamentals you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

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Medical Terminology Fundamentals

$599

$389AUD

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The Human Body: Anatomy and Physiology

Now Only

$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
23341 Students

Gain a greater appreciation and understanding of the marvelous complexity of the human body.

This self-paced online course begins with an explanation of the nature of matter and a review of the principles of chemistry that are important to human physiology. We'll place an emphasis on the organisation of the human body and the differences between nonliving matter and living organisms. We'll also cover cell anatomy and physiology because all life processes are ultimately carried out at the cellular level. You'll also learn principles of genetics and gain an understanding of how traits are passed from one generation to the next.

After we've established this foundation, we'll survey the anatomy and physiology of each of our 11 organ systems. You'll learn how our nervous system allows us to receive, process, and interpret sensation and send messages to our muscles and glands. We'll cover the skeletal and muscular systems, learning how they make movement possible, and also about some of their little-known but equally essential functions.

This course explains how the circulatory and respiratory systems work together to provide our bodies with the oxygen our tissues need, and how they work together with the skin and kidneys to rid our bodies of wastes. You'll learn how our bodies fight off diseases, and how our digestive system converts the food we eat into energy and the tissues of our bodies. We'll also spend time on the endocrine system, which supplies the hormones we need for our survival, and the reproductive system, that group of organs that allows life to be passed on to another generation.

We'll also discuss functions of the different organ systems that you'll probably find surprising. In addition, each lesson includes information about specific disorders that sometimes happen to our bodies, and we'll also talk about some recent advances in medicine. By the end of this course, you'll have a greater appreciation and understanding of the marvelous complexity of the human body!

Our first lesson will introduce you to the fascinating subject of human anatomy and physiology. Since chemical reactions drive all of our bodies' functions, we'll start by reviewing some basic chemistry. Then we'll discuss how the human body is organized and the four main types of molecules it contains. We'll even touch on a little history because humans used to have some pretty funny ideas about living organisms. Later, you'll learn why a living human being is so different from one who's died. Finally, we'll discuss homeostasis—that drive we have to keep many different variables (like temperature and blood pressure) within a narrow range. By the time you're done with this lesson, you'll be ready to learn more about the structure and function of our bodies.

The smallest living unit of the body is the cell, and it's so amazing, it deserves a lesson of its own. Even though almost all cells are microscopic, they're jam-packed with many different kinds of organelles and surrounded by complex membranes. I think you'll be amazed at their complexity as we discuss their different functions. We'll also talk about how cells reproduce, and we'll finish up with a discussion on cancer—which is cell reproduction gone amok.

In this lesson, we'll tackle the subject of heredity. It's probably the most technical of all the lessons because we'll be exploring genetics. You'll learn how genes determine your physical and mental characteristics, and how your parents' genetic material determine these traits. You'll learn the important differences between reproductive cells and all of the other cells in the body. Then we'll spend some time talking about a man who lived in the 1800's—Gregor Mendel, the Father of Genetics—because his insights paved the way for our modern understanding of heredity. After that, we'll discuss some different genetic disorders as you learn about specific mutations in the genetic code that can cause problems.

We'll move on to the organ systems in today's lesson. We'll start with the one I find most interesting—the nervous system. You'll learn how it's organized, its different jobs, and the structures that make thinking, feeling, and moving possible. You'll also learn how the nervous system works when we think we're in danger or we've suddenly been affected by physical pain. We'll use our knowledge about chemistry in this chapter, too, as we talk about how nervous impulses are transmitted. Finally, we'll talk about some disorders of the nervous system—what causes them and their effects.

Our bones have several functions, and some aren't so obvious. For example, did you know that red blood cells are made in your bones? Or that bones store minerals that are essential for the function of your nerves and muscles? In today's lesson on the skeletal system, we'll explore the structure and function of bones, and then we'll talk about different types of joints and the amazing structure of your spinal column. You'll learn about some common disorders of this system and what you can do to keep your bones strong.

Like the skeletal system, the muscular system is crucial for movement, but it has other functions, too. We'll discuss them in detail in today's lesson. Muscles are also a lot more complicated than they appear, so we'll spend some time talking about both the structures that we can see and the structures that we can't see without a microscope. We'll go over some of the specific muscles in the body and how they work together to perform specific movements. You'll also learn why even simple movements involve chemical reactions and a close coordination between this system and the nervous system. In the last chapter, we'll look at several common injuries to different parts of the muscular system.

We'll focus on the respiratory system in this lesson. As you're probably aware, it's the group of organs that allow you to get that crucial substance—oxygen—to all the cells in our body. But your respiratory system has some other functions that we'll touch on in this lesson. You'll learn about the anatomy of your respiratory organs and which muscles are crucial for breathing. You'll also become aware of the differences between ventilation, external respiration, internal respiration, and cellular respiration. And we'll talk about some illnesses that could affect your respiratory system, compromising your ability to breathe.

There's so much to learn about the circulatory system! In this lesson, we'll explore the composition of blood, the various blood cells, and the different kinds of blood vessels in your body. Of course, the heart is a crucial part of the circulatory system, so we'll talk about its chambers, valves, coronary vessels, and electrical system. You'll learn how blood travels around the body and its important functions. We'll spend some time on two of the most common health problems people experience—high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. You'll finish this lesson knowing the importance of taking care of this organ system.

In today's very interesting lesson, you'll learn all about the disease-fighting ability of your body. Did you know that your body is constantly bombarded with germs that want to make you sick? We'll talk about that in this lesson, as well as some of the many ways your body fights back to keep you well. The human body also has a system of vessels (similar to blood vessels) called the lymphatic system. We'll talk about its disease-fighting role as well as some of its other functions. You'll learn about some of the other organs in your body that are involved in the battle against disease. At the end of this lesson, we'll talk about different ways the body's disease-fighting ability can be compromised and why sometimes the body turns on its own cells.

Today we'll take a close look at two different organ systems—the integumentary system (the skin) and the urinary system. Both of these systems work to get rid of waste products that would kill you if they were allowed to build up in your body. You'll learn, too, how important these two systems are in maintaining homeostasis. We'll spend quite a bit of time on the structure of these two systems. People are often surprised to learn how complex even the skin can be. And the structures of the urinary system, particularly the kidneys, are quite amazing. At the end of this lesson, you'll learn about kidney failure and the challenges of dialysis and kidney transplantation.

You'll never think about food the same way again after this lesson on the digestive system! Just writing about it made me want to be a bit more careful about what I eat. You'll learn about all the different structures involved with converting food into the chemicals our bodies need to grow, repair tissues, and carry on all the functions of life. We'll also discuss the role of the three main types of foods and the importance of many different vitamins and minerals. When you finish this lesson, you'll understand the value of eating a variety of foods and how good food choices will enhance your health. We'll spend some time discussing two common digestive disorders, and then we'll talk about one of the most common kinds of cancer—colon cancer.

We'll end this course with a discussion about the endocrine and reproductive systems. You'll learn how the endocrine and nervous systems work together to regulate all of your body's functions. We'll discuss some specific endocrine glands, the hormones they produce, and how they influence each other. Homeostasis again becomes something important to talk about because of the crucial role of the endocrine system. We'll also cover both the female and male reproductive systems. You'll learn about their anatomy and how the endocrine system affects their organs, making reproduction possible. We'll end this chapter with a discussion about two fairly common disorders—diabetes and endometriosis.

Holly Trimble

Holly Trimble has a bachelor's degree in physical therapy from the University of Colorado and a master's degree in pediatric physical therapy from Boston University. She completed an additional 15 credit hours in education at the doctoral level. S... Read more

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Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

What people are saying about our courses

This course was much more informative than I expected. I learned so very much about human anatomy... I am still amazed as to how everything works together to maintain homeostasis and keep us going. Wonderful course! Loved the teaching style of Holly Trimble. She made it interesting and so informative.

Verified Student

I didn't realize how much I had learned until I happened to be watching a TV show on PBS. I could actually understand what the scientists/doctors were talking about and explaining. The show dealt with diseases of the brain and things that can go wrong in the human body. I knew exactly what they were talking about thanks to your course!

Verified Student

I enjoyed taking this class. I have a strong interest in science, especially the human body. My full-time job is accounting, but I hope to go back to school to become a nurse. I enjoyed reading the questions and the responses from the teacher and the students. The answers were very clear and they were not too technical to comprehend. Thank you for offering this course.

Verified Student

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The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the The Human Body: Anatomy and Physiology you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now