Common Root Words

 Cephal – Pertaining to the head

 Derm – Pertaining to the skin
 Myo – Pertaining to the muscle
 Osteo – Pertaining to the bone
 Pulmo – Pertaining to the lung
 Cardio – Pertaining to the heart
 Thermo – Indicates temperature
 Arterio – Pertaining to an artery
 Carcino – Cancerous
 Encephalo – Pertaining to the brain
 Gastro – Pertaining to the stomach

Common Prefixes to Know

 Ante – Before
 Endo – Within
 Peri – During
 Post – After
 Trans – Across
 Supra – Above
 Macro – Large
 Micro – Small
 Pseudo – False or fake

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Common Suffixes to Know

 uira – The presence of something in the urine
 sclerosis – Hardening
 emia – Blood or referring to a substance in the blood
 desis – Binding together or fixation
 algia – Pain or discomfort
 ology – The study of something
 lysis – Breaking down or destroying
 Itis – Inflammation
 plasty – Surgically repaired

Anatomical Position Terminology

  Lateral – To one side
 Medial – Nearer to the center
 Anterior – Refers to the front of the body
 Posterior – Refers to the back of the body
 Supine – Describes laying on the back
 Prone – Describes laying on the stomach
 Proximal – Describes something near
 Distal – Describes something further away
 Inferior – Describes something lower than
 Superior – Describes something higher than
 Superficial – Describes something near the surface of the skin

Common Types of Medicine

 Psychiatry – A field of medicine where patients can get mental
health treatment and medication.
 Psychology – Primarily uses talk therapy. Psychologists cannot
prescribe medication.
 Cardiology – Medical care for the heart.
 Orthopedics – Medical care for bones and joints.
 Neurology – Medical treatment for the brain and nerves.
 Ophthalmology – Treatment for the eyes and vision disorders.
 Pediatrics – Medicine focused on treating children and adolescents.
 Oncology – Medical treatment for cancers.

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Common Diseases to Know as a Medical

Assistant
 Hypertension – High blood pressure, usually higher than 120/80.
 Heart failure – When the heart cannot function and push blood
around the body.
 Cancer – An overgrowth of cells somewhere in the body.
 Migraines – Severe headaches, often made worse by loud noise or
bright light.
 Diabetes – A disease where the body either does not make insulin or
insulin doesn’t work well. It is difficult to keep blood sugars in normal
ranges with diabetes.
 Kidney failure – The kidneys cannot filter out toxins from the body,
they may eventually stop making urine. May lead to the need for
dialysis.
  Chronic pain – Pain that has lasted longer than 6 months and is not
well controlled.
 Vision loss – Worsening vision requiring glasses. May be caused by
normal aging, cataracts, and other diseases.
 Pneumonia – A disease in the lungs caused by viruses or bacteria.

Body Membrane Terminology

 Mucous membranes – Covers the mouth and digestive system.
 Serous membranes – Membranes that line the lungs, the abdominal
organs, and the heart.
 Synovial membranes – These surround the cavities of joints and
allow bones to move without friction.
 Cutaneous membranes – Skin. The driest membrane and the only
one always exposed to air.

Laboratory Terminology
 Cultures – Look for bacterial infections.
 Urinalysis – Looks for abnormalities in urine such as glucose, blood,
or infection.
 CBC – Complete blood count. This checks levels of white blood cells,
red blood cells, and platelets.
 Basic metabolic panel – Used to measure electrolyte levels in the
blood such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride.
 Renal Function panel – Looks for specific electrolytes and proteins
related to the kidney function.
 Troponin – A lab test that indicates heart muscle damage if you have
a heart attack.
 Reproductive hormone – Checks levels of estrogen and
testosterone in the blood.

What Medical Instruments are Called

 Stethoscope – A tool used to listen to the heart, lungs, and stomach.
Also used to take a manual blood pressure reading.
 Sphygmomanometer – Also known as a blood pressure cuff.
 Otoscope – A tool used to look inside a patient's ear.
 Glucometer – A tool that can give a blood sugar measurement with
just a small drop of blood.
 Catheter – A hollow tube inserted into the body. For example, an
intravenous catheter in a vein or a urinary catheter in the urethra.
  Syringe – A tool used to draw up liquids and measure them. Can be
as small as 1 ml or as large as 60 ml.
 Sutures – Also known as stitches. Strong thread used to sew a
wound closed.
 Butterfly needle – A small needle used to draw a blood sample.
 Vacutainer – A tool used to collect blood from the butterfly needle to
be sent to the laboratory.
 Defibrillator – A machine used to deliver a shock to the heart during
CPR.
 Ultrasound – Allows a provider to see internal structures and organs
such as the heart, kidneys, or uterus.

Insurance & Billing Terminology

 HSA – Health savings account. Money set aside for medical
purposes.
 Coverage – Expenses covered by an insurance plan.
 Co-payment – The amount of money for which a patient is
responsible to pay.
 Deductible – The amount of money a patient must pay before
insurance will start to cover expenses.
 Out-of-pocket costs – Costs that aren’t covered by insurance that
the patient has to pay for.
 ACO – Accountable Care Organizations. Groups of medical providers
that voluntarily care for Medicare patients
 POS – Point of service. These insurance plans allow patients to see
providers within their network and use other services outside of their
network.
 HMO – Health Maintenance Organizations. These are coverage plans
that only allow a patient to see a specialist if they have been referred
by a physician.
 PPO – Preferred Provider Organization. These plans allow patients to
see a specialist without a referral or prior authorization.
 MAR – Medication Administration Record. Used by hospitals to keep
track of what medications are given and when.

Other Vocabulary That’s Important to

Know as a Medical Assistant
 PPE – Personal protective equipment. This includes gloves, masks,
goggles, and gowns.
 Stat – This means that something needs to be done right away.
 BMI – Body mass index. A measurement of height and weight to
determine if someone is within a healthy range.
 Arrhythmia – An abnormal heart rhythm
 CPR – Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Helping someone’s heart beat
until you can get it started on its own again.