Use textbooks to learn the medical terminology you need to know. Look at pictures, photo captions and other materials around the words to help you remember vocabulary. Reading descriptions and explanations will help you to better understand what medical terms mean. Highlight important terms so that it will be easier to return to them later. Look for workbooks devoted to basic and advanced medical terminology. These books often give descriptions that are easier to understand than many textbooks and have accompanying pictures and graphics. To further practice medical vocabulary, write or say the words and their descriptions several times while studying them.
Flash cards provide a visual method to learn medical terminology. Use homemade or pre-developed flash cards; you can buy flash cards with medical terminology at bookstores or online. Pre-made flash cards often feature images with medical terms such as those for body parts. Make flash cards by writing descriptions on one side and the medical terms on the back. Go through the cards one by one about 10 to 20 times when practicing them; repetition helps you to learn words more thoroughly, according to Sheppard Software, a provider of learning software. Shuffle them so that you learn the words and not the order of the medical terms.
Learn Greek and Latin root words so you can figure out medical terms more easily. Take classes, get a tutor or practice on your own to learn root words such as "derma," which means "skin" in Greek. Learn root words that are related, such as those that are in the same areas of the body. Work on learning about five terms at a time so that you do not overload yourself. Writing, hearing, saying and working with Greek and Latin root words will help you to learn the words. Along with root words, learn the meaning of common suffixes, such as "itis," so that you can figure out the meaning of new medical terms more easily.
Games can help you learn medical terminology in a fun way, especially if you play them with other people. Create cards with descriptions of medical terms and answers on the back to play a "Jeopardy"-like game. Compete individually or in teams. For a bingo game involving medical terminology, have one person read descriptions while others fill in the corresponding word on their bingo charts. To learn on your own, play free online games, available on websites such as Medword.com and Philips Learning Center. Combine games with more traditional study methods, such as textbooks and flash cards, to develop a more comprehensive and lasting knowledge of medical terms.