Lesson 1 Student Presentation

1.

MEDICAL ENGLISH FOR STUDY & CAREER
Lesson 1
Introduction to Medical English
Vocabulary Building & Abbreviations
Module 1 · Level B1+ · 60 minutes

2.

COURSE ROADMAP
Where This Lesson Fits
1. Medical Terminology: Foundations
2. Clinical Communication
3. Clinical Case Studies
4. Medical English by Specialty
5. International Medical Practice
6. Research & Evidence-Based Medicine
You are here — today we lay the foundation for everything that follows.

3.

MOTIVATION
Why Medical English Matters
1
2
3
Global Practice
Patient Safety
Career Growth
Study, train, or work in international
healthcare settings with confidence.
Precise terminology and clear
communication reduce clinical errors.
Read research, attend conferences, and
pass language requirements for licensing
abroad.

4.

LESSON 1
Today's Objectives
1
Understand why Medical English matters for your career
2
Learn the root + prefix + suffix system for medical terms
3
Break down unfamiliar medical words into meaningful parts
4
Recognise and correctly use common clinical abbreviations
5
Understand why abbreviation ambiguity is a patient-safety issue

5.

WORD FORMATION
The Building Blocks of Medical Terms
PREFIX
before the root
(modifies meaning)
ROOT
+
the core meaning
(body part / system)
SUFFIX
+
hyper- + -glyc- + -emia = hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
after the root
(condition / procedure)

6.

VOCABULARY
Common Prefixes
Prefix
Meaning
Example
hyper-
above normal, excessive
hypertension
hypo-
below normal, deficient
hypoglycemia
brady-
slow
bradycardia
tachy-
fast
tachypnea
a- / an-
without, absence of
anemia
dys-
difficult, abnormal
dyspnea
poly-
many
polyuria

7.

VOCABULARY
Common Suffixes
Suffix
Meaning
Example
-itis
inflammation
gastritis
-osis
abnormal condition
cyanosis
-ectomy
surgical removal
appendectomy
-otomy
surgical incision
tracheotomy
-oma
tumor, mass
lipoma
-algia
pain
neuralgia
-pathy
disease
neuropathy
-emia
blood condition
anemia

8.

VOCABULARY
Common Combining Forms (Roots)
Root
Meaning
Example
cardi(o)-
heart
cardiology
gastr(o)-
stomach
gastroenteritis
neur(o)-
nerve
neurology
hepat(o)-
liver
hepatitis
nephr(o)-
kidney
nephrology
dermat(o)-
skin
dermatitis
oste(o)-
bone
osteoporosis
arthr(o)-
joint
arthritis

9.

GUIDED PRACTICE
Practice: Break Down the Word
gastroenteritis
gastr(o)-
enter(o)-
-itis
stomach
intestine
inflammation
= inflammation of the stomach and intestine

10.

CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION
Medical Abbreviations
Abbreviations save time in clinical documentation — but an unclear one can cost a life.
Many hospitals keep an official "Do Not Use" list of abbreviations that are too easily confused (e.g. "U" for units mistaken for "0").
Rule of thumb: use only standard, widely recognised abbreviations — and say them letter by letter ("B-P", not "bip").

11.

REFERENCE
Common Clinical Abbreviations
Abbrev.
Meaning
Abbrev.
Meaning
Hx
history
Sx
symptoms
Dx
diagnosis
Tx
treatment
Rx
prescription
BP
blood pressure
HR
heart rate
RR
respiratory rate
Temp
temperature
WNL
within normal limits
NPO
nothing by mouth
PRN
as needed
STAT
immediately
SOB
shortness of breath

12.

PAIR ACTIVITY
Practice: Match & Speak
1. Matching
2. Speak
Match each abbreviation to its meaning in your worksheet (Exercise
B).
Partner A reads an abbreviated clinical note aloud. Partner B
expands it into full sentences.
"Pt c/o SOB and CP. Hx of HTN. BP 150/95, HR 98."

13.

SUMMARY
Key Takeaways
✓
Medical terms break down into prefix + root + suffix — learn the parts, unlock thousands of words.
✓
Clinical abbreviations save time, but must be standard and unambiguous — patient safety depends on it.
✓
Say abbreviations letter by letter, and always know the full term behind them.

14.

WRAP-UP
Homework & Next Lesson
Homework
Next Lesson
• Complete Exercises A, B & C in your worksheet
• Memorise 10 prefixes, 10 suffixes, 15 abbreviations
Anatomy: Body Systems &
Anatomical Terminology
• Quick quiz at the start of Lesson 2
We'll map today's word parts onto real body systems.