Are you overwhelmed by how much medical terminology you need to know? Here are 11 ideas to do today that are fun and will make learning this new language easy.
Deciding on a career as a medical coder is very exciting. You are researching the types of jobs, salary potential, and the possibility of working remotely.
But as you look at school options you see the frequent use of the dreaded word, prerequisites. Medical terminology and anatomy are required prerequisites for any medical coding course. Just why? I know you're eager to jump in and start learning how to code, but would you go skydiving without a parachute? No.
Even though these prerequisites may cause an eye roll, they are extremely important. Think of it as having a map to get the lay of the land. And let me tell you the medical field is a whole new world and you need to learn the language.
But learning this new language can be overwhelming and feel impossible, especially with words like choledocholithiasis, but don't worry. As a student, I know it can be hard, but believe me, it's not impossible because there is a secret to learning medical terminology. Practice. Yes, practice. You probably think it can't be as easy as just practicing it, but yes it is. You can learn almost anything with consistent practice (including medical coding) and understanding medical terminology is best learned through practice.
Here are some fun ideas and games that will make it easy to learn medical terminology. By doing at least one or more of these activities for a few minutes every day you will be able to read and understand even the most complicated words including choledocholithiasis.
This post is all about fun and easy ways to learn medical terminology.
Easy Tips To Learn Medical Terminology
1. Screensaver
Today, we spend so much time staring at our phones. If you don't believe me check the screen time usage on your phone for this week. This can develop into a bad habit or you can use it to your advantage. If you have trouble learning certain word parts take a picture of them and save it as a screen saver on your phone.
For me, it's the suffixes -ostomy and -otomy. It gets me every time! Constantly, seeing that word part on your phone and the meaning will help you remember it. Once you know it, remove it and replace it with another. This tactic focuses on your weak areas and is a good reminder of what you're working hard for.
2. Use Apps
There is an app for everything including flashcards If you enjoy apps that track your progress, utilize games, and offer rewards then this is for you! Today, there are many flashcard apps. A few of the popular ones are Quizlet, Anki, Cram, and Brainscope.
Now, if you are wondering what is the payout to use any of these apps don't worry yet. Most flashcard apps are free! Of course, they offer upgrade features that require a subscription or payment. Fortunately, the basic (free) features allow you to do the one thing you need to do while utilizing the app and that is practice. So, if you prefer flashcard apps over index cards, check out and compare several. Choose the one that works best for you.
Because the app is on your phone it's easy for you to be distracted by notifications, text messages, or calls. To ensure that you are getting the most out of using the app it is best to first block off time that you will use the app to study and secondly to turn off all notifications and set your phone on do not disturb. This will ensure the time you are using to stare at your phone is for a purposeful reason and not a distraction.
3. Write it on your textbook
This may sound strange, but trust me it works! To do this all you need is label maker tape and of course your textbook. On each piece of label maker tape write the prefixes, suffixes, or combo words along with the meaning and place it on your textbook. Soon the cover of your textbook will look like a medical terminology sheet. Constantly, seeing these terms every time you open your book will ingrain them into your memory without much effort.
This works even if you are using an online textbook. Instead of labeling a textbook, use the cover of your notebook.
If you want to be fancy, you can use washer tape or any type of colored tape. If you take this route, make sure you implement a system for your colors. For example, green is for prefixes, yellow is for suffixes, and so on. Implementing a color code system is letting you know at a glance what each term is.
So, if you were the type in school that liked to doodle on your textbooks or notebooks, get started and create your very own textbook cover!
4. Use a whiteboard
I love whiteboards! I use them for almost everything. To write a grocery list, important dates, to-do lists, and most importantly to remind me of those tricky medical terminology words.
This is also another method of repeatedly seeing the same term over and over until it is ingrained in your memory. That is exactly what I use a whiteboard for. Also, the best thing about this method is if I have trouble remembering the meaning of a certain term, I just picture the whiteboard on my wall and I can recall the words on it.
You can use this for those hard-to-learn medical terms or use it to supplement the chapter you are currently reading. For example, if you are learning about the Integumentary System, you would write the medical terms that relate to that system on your whiteboard. This keeps you actively engaged in the chapter you are currently reading and it is reinforcing those terms to memory.
5. Voice memos
How often do you use the voice memo app on your phone? Personally, I hardly use it, but since it's taking up space on my phone I decided to put it to work. And I'm so glad I did!
Using the voice memo app, record yourself saying medical terms along with their meaning. Now, you can break it up by doing prefixes, root words, or suffixes. A twist you can add to this strategy is for each medical term say a corresponding disease, condition, or procedure. For example, the suffix -oscopy means examination or viewing of. Examples of procedures for this suffix are arthroscopy and bronchoscopy. This will help you to understand that medical term as well as become familiar with the names of diseases, conditions, and procedures.
Also, you can make it fun too. Do you have a little one? Have your kid say the terms so you are listening to their voice instead of yours. Also, it may be easier for you to recall the memory of your child saying medical terms like -ostomy and it will be easier to remember it. Plus, they will think it's a game and may have fun doing it.
Listen to your voice memos on your commute to work, during your lunch break, or as you lay in bed to go to sleep. Repeatedly playing your voice memos will ensure that you remember them.
6. Use mnemonics
One interesting and kind of odd tactic that works to learn medical terminology is the mnemonic strategy. To learn about mnemonics, check out this post, 9 Effective Study Methods You Should Be Aware Of.
There are a few types of mnemonics devices you can use to implement in your studies. My suggestion is to keep it simple. I suggest sticking with acronyms, visualization techniques, or word associations. These require you to develop on your own because the crux of this strategy is it should be relatable to you. That way you are more likely to remember what you are studying. Personally, I created a memory place because that works best for me. Let me know if you use mnemonics and if so which one works best for you.
7. Set a theme
Themes are not just for parties. This is a great strategy if you want to organize your study sessions. This method should be applied for studying throughout your course to prepare you for your exam.
To set this up, you need a plan. As you go through your assignments, you should be revisiting previous chapters, important topics, and medical terminology and anatomy lessons. That's a lot of information! Well, let's set up a theme to revisit each and break it down. This will ensure that you understand what you are reading and that you are retaining the information.
There are a few ways you can do this. One is to interleave chapters. I discuss interleaving in this post: 9 Effective Study Methods You Should Be Aware Of. Another way is each week to decide on a subject you would like to review. For example, you are now learning about the musculoskeletal system. While your learning this subject you will review the previous chapter that you just finished. You can continue this strategy until you finish your chapters. Another theme, you can use is an anatomy theme. Select an organ system and study that for a few days or a week and then move on to the next organ system. There are many themes you can do to determine what subjects you need to study. Here are a few more possible themes: Chapter Guidelines, areas of weakness, or ICD-10 chapters.
Choose one that works best for you. The most important part about having a theme for your study sessions is implementing it. You can plan and plan, but without action, there is no success.
8. Word match
Word-matching games are not just for children. This useful memory game can be applied to learning medical terminology too.
How do you play the game? There are a couple of ways you can do this. Using index cards write a medical term and on another index card write the meaning. Do as many as you like. Lay all the index cards in front of you and start matching the term with the meaning. Or using paper or your tablet, create 2 columns. One column is the medical term and the second is the meaning of each. Make sure you are not writing the meaning directly across from the word. Now, match each term with its meaning. These are great visual aids and terrific for anyone that is a visual learner.
This is a great strategy to do if you don't feel like sitting in front of your computer or at your desk reading your textbook or notebooks. We all have those moments when we don't feel like studying, but we know we have to. Then we feel guilty that we don't study and then stressed because we feel like we're falling behind. During those inevitable moments play a word match game. You can do this while watching Netflix, or listening to music, or you can also play with your kids.
The genius with this is once you start playing, your mind goes into productivity mode. You will continue to play and learn medical terminology or you will be so motivated that you may even crack open your textbook and start reading or log on to your online class to answer those practical application questions. Either way, you did a productive study session when you felt like doing nothing.
9. Use your Google Drive
There are a lot of tools you can use to improve and supplement your learning and Google Drive is definitely one. Also bonus, it is another tool that can be used on the go.
This concept came from watching Ali Abdaal. If you have free time definitely check out his YouTube channel. He has tons of tips and methods of how to study and improving your productivity. Well, he used Google Sheets to study for exams (I started doing this too) but I also use it to study medical terminology.
To start, you must have a Google account. Afterward, go to Google Drive and click on Google Sheets. In one column type in the medical terms you are studying and in the next column type in the meaning of each term. Sounds simple, but how can you learn by just typing in the word and the meaning next to it? Well, you will black out the column with the meaning of the terms. So you only see the terms. As you learn each term you will highlight the ones you know in green and the ones you are struggling with in red. This system lets you know which words you need to focus on a bit more and on the flip side seeing all the green rows shows your progress. This is a great source of motivation.
10. Create an index gallery
Do you have a lot of index cards sitting on your desk or kitchen table? Sometimes these index cards can pile up and sit unforgotten or get lost in the chaos of all of our notebooks, electronic devices, and textbooks.
Well, this strategy is definitely for those that love organization and using index cards. So, instead of making piles of index cards, you will tape them to a small space on your wall that you see every day. For me, this is right above my desk. But other areas could be next to your kitchen table, above your sink, next to a mirror, or even on your front door (inside of course).
This is another tactic of seeing it repeatedly it will ingrain it into your memory. One way to implement this strategy into your learning is by using the index gallery for those terms that are hard to remember or you can use it to implement as a theme as mentioned above. Such as this week you're learning all about suffixes. The following week you will remove the suffix indexes and hang up pre-fixes. Gradually, over time repeatedly seeing those medical terms while sitting at your desk, kitchen table, or doing the dishes you will learn them.
11. Use the Leitner System
This system is for those that prefer index cards over apps and also like to see their progress. To learn how to set up this system just visit this previous post, 9 Effective Study Methods You Should Be Aware Of, which goes over the Leitner System.
To help make this effective study strategy fun add a reward to it. For example, have a set number of index cards in Box 2 by a certain date. So, you added 13 index cards to Box 2 on the 15th of the month. By the 20th your goal is to have a minimum of 5 cards in Box 2. If you were able to accomplish this goal then treat yourself.
It is very important to have this system in a designated spot in your home. This will keep you organized and helps you to be consistent with your practice.
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