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MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY BY BODY SYSTEM

The Dean Vaughn Total Retention System® applied to Medical Terminology by Body System is designed to teach the most commonly used Greek and Latin elements of medical terminology quickly and effectively. This system aligns with the brain's natural learning process by converting abstract medical word elements into images of real and familiar objects, making them easier to learn and memorize.

Course Overview

This fully online and interactive course provides the basic design and structure of medical terminology, covering 275 word parts, including prefixes, roots, and suffixes, that relate to body structure, diseases, and diagnoses. This knowledge enables the interpretation and understanding of thousands of complex medical terms.

Course Components:
  • Educator Resource: Single-use license includes access to course content and Boost Dashboard (which monitors student progress and grades, and provides feedback).
  • Student Course: Single-use license grants access to course content.

Assignments

Students in the Medical Terminology by Body System course will be expected to:

  • Complete a Pre-test to establish a baseline for measuring individual accomplishment.
  • View and actively participate in video presentations for each lesson by pronouncing the medical terms, audionym, and their meanings alongside the narrator while visualizing the audionym and its associations.
  • Complete all lesson-based activities and reading assignments.
  • Conduct a final review of the 275 medical elements – prefixes, roots, and suffixes.
  • Complete the Final Test to assess knowledge and understanding of medical terminology.

Objectives

Upon completion of Medical Terminology by Body System, students will be able to:

  • Identify and understand the structure of medical terminology, recognizing word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms.
  • Understand that the meanings of most complex medical terms can be derived from the analysis of their simpler components or word parts.
  • Gain a solid foundation of commonly used Latin and Greek word parts relative to body structure, disease, and diagnosis to interpret and understand thousands of complex medical terms.
  • Successfully complete the final test achieving a score of 70% or better.

Course Outline

MODULE 1 – INTRODUCTION
  • The Dean Vaughn Total Retention System®
  • Important Definitions:
    • Medical Term: A word or phrase that has a specific meaning in the medical field.
    • Element: A component or unit of a medical term.
    • Prefix: A word part added to the beginning of a term that modifies its meaning.
    • Root: The core part of a medical term that provides its fundamental meaning.
    • Word Terminal: The end part of a word.
    • Combining Vowel: Typically 'o', used to connect root words to other word elements.
    • Combining Form: A root with a combining vowel, which allows combining with other roots or suffixes.
  • The Basic Structure of Medical Terminology
  • Review Activity
  • Medical Terms Used in the Description of Diseases & Operative Procedures
  • Overcoming Problems of Literal Interpretations
  • Familiar Medical Elements
  • Common Medical Abbreviations
MODULE 2 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | SUFFIXES
  • Suffix Elements:
    • -itis: inflammation
    • -osis: condition, usually abnormal
    • -malacia: softening
    • -megaly: enlargement
    • -algia: pain
    • -oma: tumor
    • -plast: surgical repair or formation
    • -path: disease or disorder
    • -ologist: specialist in the study of
    • -ology: the study of
    • -penia: deficiency
    • -spasm: involuntary contraction
    • -oid: resembling
    • -scop: instrument used for viewing
    • -gram: record or image
    • -otomy: cutting into
    • -ostomy: creating an opening
    • -ectomy: surgical removal
    • -lysis: breakdown or destruction
    • -rrhexis: rupture.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 3 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | SUFFIXES
  • Suffix Elements:
    • -desis: surgical fixation
    • -trophy: nourishment or development
    • -ptosis: drooping or sagging
    • -dyn: pain
    • -rraphy: suturing
    • -emesis: vomiting
    • -ectasis: dilation or distension
    • -esthesia: sensation or feeling
    • -pexy: surgical fixation
    • -cele: hernia or swelling
    • -asthenia: weakness
    • -tope: place
    • -crine: to secrete
    • -plegia: paralysis
    • -rrhag: bursting forth
    • -rrhe: flow or discharge
    • -acusis: hearing
    • -phil: loving or affinity for
    • -ptysis: spitting
    • -stasis: stopping or standing still.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 4 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | PREFIXES
  • Prefix Elements:
    • a-: without or away from
    • an-: not or without
    • auto-: self
    • bi-: two
    • brady-: slow
    • dys-: difficult or painful
    • hemi-: half
    • hyper-: excessive or above normal
    • hypo-: insufficient or below normal
    • inter-: between
    • intra-: within
    • multi-: many
    • peri-: around
    • poly-: many or excessive
    • post-: after
    • pre-: before
    • quad-: four
    • retro-: backward
    • semi-: half
    • sub-: under or below.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 5 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS
  • Universal Elements:
    • steno-: narrowing
    • cheil-: lip
    • benign-: non-cancerous
    • melan-: black or dark
    • onco-: tumor
    • viscero-: internal organs
    • sphenic-: wedge-shaped
    • anti-: against
    • myco-: fungus
    • plasia-: formation
    • rug-: wrinkle or fold
    • iso-: equal
    • malign-: cancerous
    • adnexa-: associated parts
    • lapar-: abdomen
    • ment-: mind
    • somato-: body
    • tracho-: trachea, windpipe
    • hypno-: sleep
    • scler-: hardening.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 6 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS
  • Universal Elements:
    • sept-: seven or a wall
    • scirr-: hard
    • antr-: cavity
    • plak-: plate
    • alveol-: small cavity
    • sedat-: calm or tranquil
    • furca-: forked
    • radic-: root
    • radi-: ray or radiation
    • metabol-: change or transformation
    • pariet-: wall
    • gemin-: twin
    • grad-: step or go
    • calc-: stone or calcium
    • labi-: lip
    • micr-: small
    • phob-: fear
    • en-: in or into
    • pro-: before.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 7 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS
  • Universal Elements:
    • dynam-: power
    • traumat-: injury
    • ameb-: change
    • strict-: narrow
    • turbin-: rounded
    • neo-: new
    • therm-: heat
    • sym-: together
    • ramus-: branch
    • pan-: all
    • ab-: away
    • ante-: before
    • ex-: out
    • puer-: child
    • proli-: offspring
    • macro-: large
    • lal-: to talk
    • cryo-: cold
    • mal-: bad
    • glom-: ball-shaped.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 8 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | UNIVERSAL ELEMENTS
  • Universal Elements:
    • somni-: sleep
    • pharmac-: drug
    • vert-: turn
    • eu-: good or normal
    • ambi-: both
    • amphi-: both or on both sides
    • clas-: break
    • duct-: lead or carry
    • fiss-: split
    • ger-: old or aging
    • heter-: different
    • hom-: same
    • sta-: stand
    • volv-: roll
    • splanchn-: organ
    • med-: middle
    • xer-: dry
    • per-: through.
    • blast-: bud or germ
    • duc-: lead
    • phren-: diaphragm or mind
    • ptyal-: saliva
    • colla-: glue or adhesive
    • osmo-: smell
    • lumbo-: lower back
    • olfact-: sense of smell
    • helio-: sun
    • histo-: tissue
    • phage-: eat or ingest
    • tarso-: ankle or foot.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 9 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | BODY STRUCTURE
  • Medical Word Parts – Anatomical Direction & Location:
    • cranial: relating to the skull
    • cephal: head
    • caudal: tail or lower part of the body
    • superior: above or higher
    • inferior: below or lower
    • epi-: upon or over
    • axillary: armpit
    • brachial: arm
    • inguinal: groin
    • cubital: elbow
    • popliteal: back of the knee
    • pulmonary: relating to the lungs
    • viscera: internal organs
    • infra-: beneath
    • capit-: head or top
    • cau-: tail
    • infer-: below
    • cata-: down or downward
    • hypo-: under or below
    • proximal: nearer to the center or point of attachment
    • distal: farther from the center or point of attachment
    • ventral: relating to the belly
    • anterior: front
    • dorsal: back
    • posterior: back side
    • lateral: side
    • renal: pertaining to the kidneys
    • chondr-: cartilage.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 10 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | INTEGUMENTARY & MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEMS
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Integumentary System:
    • cut-: skin or cut
    • pil-: hair
    • trich-: hair
    • onych-: nail
    • adip-: fat
    • lip-: fat
    • pilo-: hair
    • squam-: scale
    • fistul-: tube or pipe
    • colla-: glue
    • tegument-: covering or skin
    • sarc-: flesh.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Skeletal System:
    • oste-: bone
    • arthr-: joint
    • lumbo-: lower back
    • orth-: straight or correct
    • pelvi-: pelvis
    • hallux-: big toe
    • pod-: foot
    • dactyl-: finger or toe
    • tarso-: ankle or foot
    • cheir-: hand
    • digit-: finger or toe.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Muscular System:
    • burso-: bursa, a fluid-filled sac
    • facia-: fibrous connective tissue
    • cine-: movement
    • vuls-: to tear
    • tens-: to stretch
    • spas-: spasmodic or involuntary contraction
    • ton-: tone or tension
    • lig-: ligament.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 11 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | RESPIRATORY, CARDIOVASCULAR & LYMPHATIC SYSTEMS
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Respiratory System:
    • rhin-: nose
    • pneum-: lungs or air
    • thorac-: chest
    • spir-: breathe
    • pect-: chest
    • sinus-: cavity or channel
    • sept-: wall
    • alveol-: air sac or cavity
    • peri-: surrounding or enclosing
    • phonia-: voice.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Cardiovascular System:
    • pyle-: gate or opening
    • phleb-: vein
    • thromb-: clot
    • lien-: spleen
    • arter-: artery
    • splen-: spleen.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Lymphatic System:
    • lymph-: lymphatic fluid
    • myel-: spinal cord or marrow
    • leuk-: white
    • cyt-: cell
    • erythr-: red
    • edema: swelling.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 12 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | DIGESTIVE, URINARY & ENDOCRINE SYSTEMS
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Digestive System:
    • stoma-: mouth or opening
    • bucco-: cheek
    • ptyal-: saliva
    • glycol-: sugar
    • or-: mouth
    • bili-: bile
    • oment-: membrane covering the intestine
    • peps-: digestion
    • cheil-: lip.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Urinary System:
    • nephr-: kidney
    • ureter: tube carrying urine from the kidneys to the bladder
    • urethra: tube carrying urine from the bladder to outside.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Endocrine System:
    • aden-: gland
    • hormone-: secreted substance that regulates function
    • thyro-: thyroid gland
    • adreno-: adrenal gland.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 13 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | NERVOUS SYSTEM & SENSORY ORGANS
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Nervous System:
    • encephal-: brain
    • thalam-: thalamus
    • plexus-: network of nerves
    • dendr-: tree-like structures of neurons
    • dura-: tough outer membrane
    • ependym-: lining of the ventricles of the brain
    • gangli-: nerve bundle
    • rachi-: spine or backbone
    • neuro-: nerve
    • plegia-: paralysis.
  • Review Activities
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Sensory Organs:
    • lacrim-: tear
    • audi-: hearing
    • aur-: ear
    • myring-: eardrum
    • ot-: ear.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 14 – MEDICAL WORD PARTS | REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM (MALE & FEMALE)
  • Medical Word Parts Associated with the Reproductive System:
    • orchi-: testicle
    • lact-: milk
    • colp-: vagina
    • oophor-: ovary
    • part: labor or bring forth
    • gravid-: pregnant
    • gyn-: woman
    • mamm-: breast
    • metr-: uterus
    • thel-: nipple
    • salpingo-: fallopian tube
    • umbillic-: navel
    • ovario-: ovary
    • utero-: uterus.
  • Review Activities
MODULE 15 – CONCLUSION
  • Conclusion to the Dean Vaughn – Medical Terminology by Body System Course
  • Final Test