Top 30 Medical Terms You Should Know as a Medical Assistant

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When you work in healthcare, you quickly discover that medical professionals have a language of their own. The vocabulary of doctors, nurses, and medical specialists can sound technical, scientific, and sometimes confusing to the untrained ear. Whether you’re a Medical Assistant in training or just considering the field, you’ll need to learn the lingo. It’s important to understand the most common medical terms so you can work with your team and provide consistent, quality care to your patients. Here are some of the top medical terms you should know: 

Common Medical Prefixes

Prefixes are a group of letters placed before a root word. These are some of the common medical prefixes to learn:

  1. anti—Against. An antibody will fight against an infection and an anticoagulant will prevent clotting. 
  2. dys—Abnormal or painful. For example, dyspnea refers to abnormal breathing while dysuria means painful urination. 
  3. endo—Within. Endogenous means within tissue.
  4. Hyper—High or excessive. Hyperglycemia, for example, is high blood sugar. Hypercholesterolemia is high cholesterol. 
  5. vaso—Refers to the blood vessels. A vasoconstrictor, for example, is a medication that narrows blood vessels. 

Common Medical Suffixes

Suffixes are endings attached to root words. Here are some common medical suffixes:

  1. algia—Pain. Cervicalgia, for example, is neck pain. 
  2. blast—Immature. A cytoblast, for example, is an immature cell.
  3. edema—Swelling. Lymphedema is swelling caused by a buildup of lymphatic fluid.
  4. ology—Field of study. As you learn about the medical field, you will become familiar with the different subspecialties, such as cardiology, which is the study of the heart, or endocrinology, which is the study of hormones. 
  5. plasty—Surgical repair. For example, rhinoplasty is a surgery that repairs or reshapes  the nose. 

Common Root Words in Medical Field

Root words are common groups of letters that can appear in the beginning, middle or end of a word. Here are some examples: 

  1. abdomino—Refers to the abdomen. An abdominoplasty, for example, is a cosmetic surgical procedure—also known as a tummy tuck—that removes fat and excess skin from the abdomen.  
  2. esophageo—Refers to the esophagus. You might hear doctors speak of esophageal reflux, or esophageal cancer. 
  3. gastro—Refers to the stomach. Gastrointestinal distress or gastrointestinal illness are common issues with the digestive tract. 
  4. hemo—Refers to blood. Hematology, for example, is the study of blood disorders. 
  5. osteo—Refers to bones. Osteoporosis is a common disorder among older adults that causes loss of bone density. Osteoarthritis means a bone-related arthritic condition.

Anatomical Positions

Before a procedure, you may need to position a patient in a particular way. During an exam or procedure, the doctor may also use these terms to tell you where they need a tool or an extra set of hands.

  1. lateral—To one side.
  2. anterior—The front of the body.
  3. posterior—The back of the body. 
  4. supine—Lying on the back.
  5. prone—Lying on the stomach. 

Diseases and Health Conditions

Patients may have a variety of health conditions and diseases and it’s important to know their technical terms. A few examples include: 

  1. hypertension—High blood pressure; usually exceeds a rate of 120/80. 
  2. chronic pain—Pain that has consistently lasted for more than six months. 
  3. thrombosis—A blood clot that can obstruct blood flood, such as deep vein thrombosis. 
  4. ischemia—Lack of oxygen to the tissues. 
  5. acute—Refers to a condition that pops up suddenly. 

Medical and Billing Terms

as a Medical Assistant outside of the exam room, you may be  responsible for filing insurance claims and billing patients for services rendered. Here are some important terms that can help with those duties:

  1. co-payment—A fixed amount of money that the patient must pay for certain services. 
  2. deductible—The amount of money a patient must pay before insurance starts to cover expenses. 
  3. out-of-pocket costs—The costs that insurance will not cover. The patient must incur these expenses. 
  4. 29. HMO—Stands for Health Maintenance Organization, they are insurance plans that only allow a patient to see a specialist if they have been referred by a physician.
  5. PPO—Stands for Preferred Provider Organization, these plans allow patients to see a specialist without a referral or prior authorization. 

Do you find medical terminology interesting? Maybe you’d like to work in health care. Charter College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assistant that can prepare you for  entry-level work as a Medical Assistant at a hospital or doctor’s office. Our instructors have years of experience in the medical field and are dedicated to helping you succeed. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.