Medical Fields of Study
Medicine (from Greek
Medical is an interdisciplinary field of study that incorporates the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Medical research is conducted in a wide variety of settings. In addition to traditional hospitals, physician offices and clinics, medical research is carried out in academic institutions, government laboratories and industry.
The earliest known written records of medicine date back to the ancient Syrian city of Ebla (2500 BCE). Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine”, formulated the Hippocratic Oath in around 400 BCE, and laid the foundation for a scientific approach to the practice of medicine.
In the field of prehistoric medicine, plants (herbalism), animal parts and minerals were used as medicines. More advanced prehistoric societies practiced spiritual systems of medicine such as animism (the belief that inanimate objects possess spirits), spiritualism and shamanism.
Medical anthropology is the study of how culture and society organize around issues related to health, illness and medicine. Primary care medical services are provided by physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other health professionals who have first contact with a patient seeking help for non-emergency problems. In most countries, primary care is delivered in physician offices or family medicine clinics.
Secondary care medical services are provided by specialists in hospital outpatient departments and in some cases, private practice. Specialists in hospital medicine include internists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, hematologists and oncologists. Other specialized clinical fields include medical genetics and neurology.
An important aspect of contemporary medicine is public health, which deals with threats to community health based on population data. Related disciplines are epidemiology and statistics. Medical ethics is the field of philosophy that deals with moral and ethical aspects of medical practice.
Medical technology includes medical devices, diagnostic tools and pharmaceutical products. Medical devices range from syringes and wheelchairs to cardiac pacemakers and MRI and CT scanners. In vitro diagnostics are laboratory tests that provide information based on a sample of body fluid or tissue.
Medicine (from Greek , “art of healing”) is a scientific discipline that studies the causes, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention of disease. The practice of medicine is regulated by law in many jurisdictions. The practice of medicine is also influenced by social and cultural factors. Medical is an interdisciplinary field of study that incorporates the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Medical research is conducted in a wide variety of settings. In addition to traditional hospitals, physician offices and clinics, medical research is carried out in academic institutions, government laboratories and industry. The earliest known written records of medicine date back to the ancient Syrian city of Ebla (2500 BCE). Hippocrates, the “father of modern medicine”, formulated the Hippocratic Oath in around 400 BCE, and laid the foundation for a scientific approach to the practice of medicine. In the field of prehistoric medicine, plants (herbalism), animal parts and minerals were used as medicines. More advanced prehistoric societies practiced spiritual systems of medicine such as animism (the belief that inanimate objects possess spirits), spiritualism and shamanism. Medical anthropology is the study of how culture and society organize around issues related to health, illness and medicine. Primary care medical services are provided by physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other health professionals who have first contact with a patient seeking help for non-emergency problems. In most countries, primary care is delivered in physician offices or family medicine clinics. Secondary care medical services are provided by specialists in hospital outpatient departments and in some cases, private practice. Specialists in hospital medicine include internists, gastroenterologists, pulmonologists, hematologists and oncologists. Other specialized clinical fields include medical genetics and neurology. An important aspect of contemporary medicine is public health, which deals with threats to community health based on population data. Related disciplines are epidemiology and statistics. Medical ethics is the field of philosophy that deals with moral and ethical aspects of medical practice. Medical technology includes medical devices, diagnostic tools and pharmaceutical products. Medical devices range from syringes and wheelchairs to cardiac pacemakers and MRI and CT scanners. In vitro diagnostics are laboratory tests that provide information based on a sample of body fluid or tissue.