Course credit
2 credit hours
Course description
Emphasis on terminology and vocabulary used in the medical field, including structural organization of the body, major anatomy, medical procedures and instrumentation, and medical specialties.
Delivery
This course is available in a web-based format, utilizing web pages and WebCT, a computer conferencing program. WebCT requires Internet access and a web browser — no additional software is required. Students may need access to someone who can assist with computer set-up.
Prerequisites
none
Instructor
Susan Roberts-Dobie, Assistant Professor
Evaluation
11 assignments, 3 exams
Overview
A course in medical terminology allows people with professional and personal interests in health and disease to communicate effectively and efficiently. The focus of this class is learning terminology and vocabulary used in the medical field, including structural organization of the body, major anatomy, medical procedures and instrumentation, and medical specialties.
This course will be of benefit to many professional preparations, including medicine, physical therapy, occupational therapy, laboratory work, social work, school and community health education, psychology, and physical education, to name just a few professions. Also, medical terminology is very beneficial to individuals with a personal curiosity in the medical field, which includes almost everyone.
Learning medical terms is not unlike learning a foreign language. It requires simple memorization of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Not many classes can make this claim, but taking a course in medical terminology is actually easier by correspondence. I will provide you with information at the beginning of each chapter that may assist you in learning, and will help you focus your attention on the most commonly used word parts, and then you have the task of memorizing terms.
You will not memorize each and every word, but you will learn how to break down an unknown word into known parts, and will be able to define difficult medical terms in this way. I still use this method to define obscure words, and am often pleased with how close I can come to the dictionary definition.
Course Objectives
Course Organization
The course is divided into 11 assignments. Each assignment includes chapters from the required textbook, comments and chapter highlights which complement the text, and written assignments. The first eight chapters present an introduction of the study of medical terminology, and the remaining chapters each focus on specific body systems. Many students have commented on how easy this text is to use as an independent study course. There are also medical "flash cards" at the end of the text that you can cut out and use, with common root words, suffixes, and prefixes. These are very helpful, along with flash cards you can make yourself on index cards. Remember: repetition is the key to memorization. The written assignments involve multiple choice questions.
The course includes 3 exams. Exams will be proctored.
Course Outline
Assignment 1
Assignment 2
Assignment 3
Exam 1
Assignment 4
Assignment 5
Assignment 6
Assignment 7
Exam 2
Assignment 8
Assignment 9
Assignment 10
Assignment 11
Final Exam
Grading
The 11 written assignments, will contribute 220 points to your final grade (20 points each). The first ten assignments cover chapters in the text, and the last assignment is based on information included in this packet.
There are three exams, worth 80 points each. The Exam 1 will be taken after the first three assignments are completed. Exam 2 is after assignment 7, and the Final Exam after assignment 11. Exams contain multiple choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank questions, all very similar to written assignments, and one or two "case studies." These case studies present a patient's medical problems in paragraph form, with some of the medical terms underlined. You will define the underlined words. The Final Exam is NOT comprehensive, however the chapters tend to present material based on previous assignments.
A total of 460 points are possible for the course. Please note that UNI Guided Independent Study requires that you complete all assignments and exams to pass the course. Final grades are based on the following:
Final grades:
A 420 - 460 points
A- 414 - 419 points
B+ 400 - 413 points
B 375 - 399 points
B- 368 - 374 points
C+ 354 - 367 points
C 329 - 353 points
C- 322 - 328 points
D+ 308 - 321 points
D 276 - 307 points
F < 276 points
Textbook(s)
Cohen, B.J. (1998). Medical Terminology: An Illustrated Guide. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company.
Recommended, but not required, for this course is a good medical dictionary. I use two dictionaries in my professional and personal use: Stedman's Medical Dictionary, which also comes with a very helpful CD-ROM, and Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. A good medical dictionary is approximately $30, but is a good investment, especially if you will be in a health-related profession.
Texts are available from the vendor of your choice or
University Book and Supply
1009 West 23rd Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-266-7581 or 800-728-7581
Fax: 319-277-1266
E-mail: bookstore@panthersupply.com
To enroll
ONLINE
GIS enrollment information
IN PERSON
UNI Continuing Education
2637 Hudson Road (corner of 27th St. and Hudson Rd.)
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223
Campus map (Look for Building 31)
For more information
Cindy Klodt, Guided Independent Study
UNI Continuing Education
319-273-2123 or 800-772-1746
ContinuingEd@uni.edu