Medical Education Essay

Working together as an interdisciplinary team, many highly trained health professionals besides medical practitioners are involved in the delivery of modern health care. Examples include: nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, physician assistants, podiatrists physiotherapists, respiratory therapists,speech therapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, dietitians, and bioengineers. The scope and sciences underpinning human medicine overlap many other fields. Dentistry, while considered by some a separate discipline from medicine, is a medical field. A patient admitted to hospital is usually under the care of a specific team based on their main presenting problem, e.g., the Cardiology team, who then may interact with other specialties, e.g., surgical, radiology, to help diagnose or treat the main problem or any subsequent complications/developments. Physicians have many specializations and subspecializations into certain branches of medicine, which are listed below. There are variations from country to country regarding which specialties certain subspecialties are in. The main branches of medicine are: ââ€" ª Basic sciences of medicine; this is what every physician is educated in, and some return to in biomedical research. ââ€" ª Medical specialties ââ€" ª Interdisciplinary fields, where different medical specialties are mixed to function in certain occasions. [pic] ââ€" ª Anatomy is the study of the physical structure of organisms. In contrast to macroscopic or gross anatomy, cytology and histology are concerned with microscopic structures. ââ€" ª Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry taking place in living organisms, especially the structure and function of their chemical components. ââ€" ª Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of the methods of Mechanics. ââ€" ª Biostatistics is the application of statistics to biological fields in the broadest sense. A knowledge of biostatistics is essential in the planning, evaluation, and interpretation of medical research. It is also fundamental to epidemiology and evidence-based medicine. ââ€" ª Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physics and physical chemistry to study biological systems. ââ€" ª Cytology is the microscopic study of individual cells. ââ€" ª Embryology is the study of the early development of organisms. ââ€" ª Endocrinology is the study of hormones and their effect throughout the body of animals. ââ€" ª Epidemiology is the study of the demographics of disease processes, and includes, but is not limited to, the study of epidemics. ââ€" ª Genetics is the study of genes, and their role in biological inheritance. ââ€" ª Histology is the study of the structures of biological tissues by light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. ââ€" ª Immunology is the study of the immune system, which includes the innate and adaptive immune system in humans, for example. ââ€" ª Medical physics is the study of the applications of physics principles in medicine. ââ€" ª Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, including protozoa, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. ââ€" ª Molecular biology is the study of molecular underpinnings of the process of replication, transcription and translation of the genetic material. ââ€" ª Neuroscience includes those disciplines of science that are related to the study of the nervous system. A main focus of neuroscience is the biology and physiology of the human brain and spinal cord. Some related clinical specialties include neurology, neurosurgery andpsychiatry. ââ€" ª Nutrition science (theoretical focus) and dietetics (practical focus) is the study of the relationship of food and drink to health and disease, especially in determining an optimal diet. Medical nutrition therapy is done by dietitians and is prescribed for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, weight and eating disorders, allergies, malnutrition, and neoplastic diseases. ââ€" ª Pathology as a science is the study of disease—the causes, course, progression and resolution thereof. [pic] Ever wonder why physics is important in the field of medicine? Well, there are numerous reasons why it is very vital to this field. One reason is â€Å"medical physics†, it is one of the branches of physics. Medical physics is a branch of applied physics concerning the application ofphysics to medicine. It generally concerns physics as applied to medical imaging and radiotherapy. And what is medical imaging? Medical imaging refers to the techniques and processes used to create images of the human body (or parts thereof) for clinical purposes (medical procedures seeking to reveal,diagnose or examine disease) or medical science (including the study of normal anatomy and function. Under this are the following: – An MRI scan – Diagnostic radiology, including x-rays, fluoroscopy, mammography, Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, angiography and Computed tomography – Ultrasound, including intravascular ultrasound – Non-ionising radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.) – Nuclear medicine, including SPECT and positron emission tomography (PET) – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other methods for functional neuroimaging of the brain. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (often referred to as magnetic resonance imaging to avoid the common concerns about radiation), uses the phenomenon of nuclear resonance to image the human body. – Magnetoencephalography – Electrical impedance tomography – Diffuse optical imaging – Optical coherence tomography Through Physics we nurses are able to treat diseases. Treatment of disease: – Defibrillation – High intensity focussed ultrasound, including lithotripsy – Interventional radiology – Non-ionising radiation Lasers, Ultraviolet etc. including photodynamic therapyand LASIK – Nuclear medicine, including unsealed source radiotherapy – Photomedicine, the use of light to treat and diagnose disease – Radiotherapy – Sealed source radiotherapy – Terahertz radiation Through physics we are also able to understand the part of the body especially the brain. ECG trace Used to monitor and measure various physiological parameters. Many physiological measurement techniques are non-invasive and can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, other invasive methods. – Electrocardiography – Electromyography – Electroencephalography – Electronystagmography – Endoscopy – Medical ultrasonography – Non-ionising radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.) – Near infrared spectroscopy -Pulse oximetry Blood gas monitor Blood pressure measurement You see Physics is a great help in the field of medicine without it, we are not able to enjoy what we are enjoying in terms of treating our diseases. Chemistry is a huge part of medicine, not only do you need an understanding of it to become a doctor, but it is also both a diagnostic and treatment tool. The importance of chemistry lies in developing and testing new medical treatments and medicines. Without it doctors would not understand how vitamins, supplements, and drugs can help or harm you. Chemistry departments in hospital medical labs play an important and valuable role. Analyzing substances such as blood and urine, for proteins, sugars and other metabolic and inorganic substances. They are able to look for problems such as diabetes, therefore offering an early prognosis and cure to potentially life threatening diseases. Medical Technology extends and improves life. It alleviates pain, injury and handicap. Its role in healthcare is essential. Incessant medical technology innovation enhances the quality and effectiveness of care. Billions of patients worldwide depend on medical technology at home, at the doctor’s, at hospital and in nursing homes. Wheelchairs, pacemakers, orthopedic shoes, spectacles and contact lenses, insulin pens, hip prostheses, condoms, oxygen masks, dental floss, MRI scanners, pregnancy tests, surgical instruments, bandages, syringes, life-support machines: more than 500,000 products (10,000 generic groups) are available today. Medical technology represents only 6,3% of total healthcare expenditure in Europe – a modest share if you consider the benefits for every member of society. The term medical technology may also refer to the duties performed by clinical laboratory professionals in various settings within the public and private sectors. The work of these professionals encompass clinical applications of chemistry, genetics, hematology, immunohematology (blood banking), immunology, microbiology, serology, urinalysis and miscellaneous body fluid analysis. These professionals may be referred to as Medical Technologists (MT) and Medical Laboratory Technologists. Pharmacy which is from the Greek word Pharmakeia φÎ ±Ã ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ºÃŽ µÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ± is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. The Greek: φÎ ¬Ã ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ½ (pharmakon), means â€Å"drug† or â€Å"medicine† (the earliest form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek pa-ma-ko, attested in Linear B syllabic script). The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to health care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize medication use to provide patients with positive health outcomes. An establishment in which pharmacy (in the first sense) is practiced is called a pharmacy, chemist’s or drug store. In the United States and Canada, drug stores commonly sell not only medicines, but also miscellaneous items such as candy (sweets), cosmetics, and magazines, as well as light refreshments or groceries. The word pharmacy is derived from its root word pharma which was a term used since the 15th–17th centuries. In addition to pharma responsibilities, the pharma offered general medical advice and a range of services that are now performed solely by other specialist practitioners, such as surgery and midwifery. The pharma (as it was referred to) often operated through a retail shop which, in addition to ingredients for medicines, sold tobacco and patent medicines. The pharmas also used many other herbs not listed. In its investigation of herbal and chemical ingredients, the work of the pharma may be regarded as a precursor of the modern sciences of chemistry and pharmacology, prior to the formulation of the scientific method. What is covered in the BS of Pharmacy program? BS of Pharmacy covers subjects that offer a solid foundation in biomedical, clinical, pharmaceutical, biological and social sciences. This is to ensure that students are trained to effective deliver pharmaceutical services in both private and government institutions.