Med test

We’re going to get you ready for your MED101 Medical Terminology test! ❤ Since your test is tomorrow at St. Clair College, I’ve organized a study guide for Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 10, including the abdominal quadrants (RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ) and the diagrams you need to practise.

This guide covers the important introductory material for these topics. Your professor’s review slides are the best source for the exact terms and diagrams that will be tested.

MED101 — Test 1 complete study guide

Chapter 1: Word roots and combining forms

Medical words are built from smaller parts.

Prefix + Word root + Suffix

A medical word can contain any combination of these parts.

Prefix

Beginning of a word

hyper-

Word root

Main meaning

cardi

Suffix

End of a word

-ia

Example: hyper/therm/ia refers to a condition of excessive heat or high temperature.

The three terms you must understand

• Word root: the main part of a word that gives its basic meaning. Example: cardi = heart.

• Combining vowel: usually o, used to make medical words easier to pronounce.

• Combining form: a word root plus a combining vowel. Example: cardi/o = heart.

Important word roots

Combining rules

• A combining vowel is often used when joining two word roots: oste/o/arthr/itis.

• The combining vowel is usually kept between a root and a suffix that starts with a consonant: cardi/o/logy.

• The combining vowel is usually dropped before a suffix that starts with a vowel: gastr/itis.

These are common patterns; your course’s specific examples should take priority.

Chapters 2 and 3: Prefixes and suffixes

A prefix goes at the beginning of a word. A suffix goes at the end.

Prefixes to memorize

Suffixes to memorize

Test tip: If you see -itis, think inflammation. If you see -ectomy, think surgical removal. If you see -algia, think pain.

Chapter 4: Human body orientation

This is especially important because you mentioned diagrams.

1. Directional terms

Examples:

• The head is superior to the chest.

• The stomach is inferior to the heart.

• The nose is medial to the eyes.

• The ears are lateral to the eyes.

• The elbow is proximal to the wrist.

• The skin is superficial to the muscles.

2. Anatomical position

Know the standard anatomical position:

• Standing upright.

• Head and eyes facing forward.

• Arms at the sides.

• Palms facing forward.

• Feet pointing forward.

Body directions are described using this position as the reference, even when a person is sitting or lying down.

3. Body planes

Remember: sagittal = sides, frontal = front/back, transverse = top/bottom.

4. Body cavities

The dorsal cavity includes the cranial and vertebral cavities. The ventral cavity includes the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

5. The four abdominal quadrants

Very important: The patient’s right and left are opposite yours when you face the patient.

• RUQ = patient’s upper right.

• LUQ = patient’s upper left.

• RLQ = patient’s lower right.

• LLQ = patient’s lower left.

You should be able to label all four on a blank diagram.

Chapter 6: Musculoskeletal system

This chapter covers bones, muscles, joints, and the tissues that help the body move.

1. Major bones to identify on a diagram

2. Major muscles to identify

3. Types of joints

4. Know the difference between these tissues

Bone: supports the body, protects organs, and stores minerals.

Muscle: contracts to produce movement.

Tendon: connects muscle to bone.

Ligament: connects bone to bone.

Cartilage: cushions and supports joints.

5. Musculoskeletal word roots

Examples:

• Arthritis: inflammation of a joint.

• Myalgia: muscle pain.

• Osteoporosis: condition involving reduced bone density and weakened bones.

• Tendinitis: inflammation of a tendon.

Chapter 10: Blood system

1. The four main blood components

2. Blood-related word roots

3. Important blood terminology

4. Blood vessels

• Arteries: carry blood away from the heart.

• Veins: carry blood toward the heart.

• Capillaries: tiny vessels where substances are exchanged between blood and tissues.

Remember: arteries and veins are named by the direction blood travels, not simply by whether the blood contains oxygen.

The diagrams I would practise before your test

These are the main diagram types to practise based on your review topics. They are not a confirmed list of the exact test diagrams.

Diagram checklist

0/7 practised

Abdominal quadrants: RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ

Directional terms: anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, medial, lateral

Body planes: sagittal, frontal, transverse

Body cavities: cranial, vertebral, thoracic, abdominal, pelvic

Skeleton: major bones

Muscular system: major muscles

Blood: red cells, white cells, platelets, plasma

Final test tips

• Memorize the meaning of the prefixes and suffixes, not just the examples.

• Practise labeling diagrams without looking at the answers.

• Learn the difference between similar terms, especially tendon vs. ligament, proximal vs. distal, and anterior vs. posterior.

• Practise spelling medical terms correctly.

• Review your professor’s slides because they may include specific terms that aren’t in this general guide.