Medical Assistant Vocab

Specialty

Specialist Focus



Allergy & Immunology

Allergic and immunologic diseases and their respiratory complications (such as pollen, chemical and food allergies, asthma, and AIDS)



Anesthesia

Anesthesia or relief of pain during surgery and childbirth, and control of pain due to various causes



Behavioral Health

Mental Health Therapists including Social Workers, Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapy, Mental Health Clinics, Psychologists, PHD, EDD, etc



Cardiovascular Disease (Cardiology)

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels



Dermatology

Diseases of the skin



Emergency Medicine

Diseases that are acute medical or surgical-conditions or injuries that require urgent or immediate care (usually in a hospital emergency room)



Endocrinology and Metabolism

Diseases of the internal glands of the body, including diabetes mellitus



Family Practice

All diseases and related total health care of an individual and the family



Gastroenterology

Diseases of the digestive tract, including the stomach, bowel, liver and pancreas



General Practice

All diseases and related total health care of an individual and the family



Geriatric Medicine

Diseases of the elderly



Gynecologic Oncology

Cancer diseases of the female reproductive system



Gynecology

See "Obstetrics and Gynecology"



Hematology

Disorders of the blood and blood-forming organs (including cancerous disorders of the blood) such as anemia, leukemia, and lymphoma (See Oncology, Medical)



Home Health Care

Nurse or other para-professional treatment of patient in the home setting, including home infusion, physical therapy, hospice, etc



Hospice

Palliative care at end of life



Hospitalist

Physician who treats patients only in the hospital setting



Infectious Diseases

Infections of all types



Internal Medicine

All diseases and related total health care of adults, usually 18 years of age and older



Medical Genetics

Study of heredity related to disease processes



Neonatology

Diseases of the newborn child



Nephrology





Diseases of the kidney, including dialysis



Neurological Surgery

Diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, and related structures requiring surgery



Nurse Midwife

Nurse with advanced training in women's health, including birth



Nurse Practitioner

Nurse with advanced training in the health care of an individual and the family



Obstetrics and Gynecology

Normal and abnormal pregnancy, diseases of the female reproductive system, and fertility disorders



Occupational Medicine

Prevention of disease and injury and the promotion of people's health in their vocational environment



Oncology, Medical

Cancer and disorders of the blood and blood-forming organs (see

"Hematology")



Ophthalmology

Disease of the eye



Orthopedic Surgery

Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose &

Diseases of the bones, joint muscles and tendons

Disease of the ears, nose, sinuses, throat, and upper airway passages



Throat)




Pain Management

Treatment of pain through various physical or medicinal methods



Pathology

Tissues and specimens removed by biopsy and surgery to diagnose normal from diseases tissues and specimens; supervises and interprets laboratory tests of blood, urine and other body fluids



Pediatrics

All diseases and total health care of newborns, infants, children and adolescents



Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Diseases with major and minor disabilities requiring restoration of functional ability such as assistance, retraining, and recondition of muscles, tendons and extremities for ambulation, and other activities of daily living



Physical Therapy

The treatment of bodily ailments by various physical or non-medicinal means



Physician Assistant

Advance training to provide health care of the individual and the family



Plastic Surgery

Diseases and conditions requiring surgical reconstruction for deformity or loss of a body part, or for cosmetic purposes to improve appearance or function



Podiatric Medicine (Podiatry)

Disease of the foot and ankle as they affect the condition of the feet




Preventative Medicine

Health care and other measures to avoid, delay, or prevent disease or illness from occurring



Psychiatry

Diseases affecting mental health, including diseases of the brain, nervous system and substance abuse of drugs or chemicals



Pulmonary Disease

Diseases of the lung



Radiation Oncology

X-ray, ultrasound, and other imaging techniques such as Computerized Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)



Rheumatology

Diseases of the joint, including arthritis and autoimmune diseases



Sports Medicine

Diseases and injuries acquired in sports



Surgery, Colon and Rectal

Diseases of the large intestine (bowel, rectum and anus that require surgical operation for diagnosis or treatment



Surgery, General

Diseases that require surgical operation for diagnosis or treatment



Surgery, Neuro

Diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, and related structures requiring surgery



Surgery, Orthopedic

Disease of the bones, joints muscles, and tendons



Surgery, Plastic

Diseases and conditions requiring surgical reconstruction for deformity or loss of a body part, or for cosmetic purposes to improve appearance or function



Surgery, Thoracic

Diseases of the chest, including lungs, heart, blood vessels, and chest wall, that require surgical operation for diagnosis and/or treatment



Surgery, Urology

Diseases of the kidneys, bladder and male reproductive tract that require surgical operation



Specialty

Specialist Focus



Neurology

Diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nervous system, and related structures

Surgery, Vascular

Diseases of the blood vessels that require surgical operation for diagnosis or treatment