Is Medical Terminology a Hard Pre-Requisite Class?
As a pre-nursing or pre-health sciences student, you might be required to take a medical terminology course.
With this requirement, many students wonder about the level of difficulty of medical terminology in comparison to other prerequisite classes.
Is Medical Terminology Hard?
Overall, medical terminology is considered an easier class compared to other pre-health prereqs. With that said, it will still require some effort to be able to do well in the class.
How Hard is Medical Terminology?
The Essence of Medical Terminology
Medical terminology can be seen as easier than some nursing school prerequisites like microbiology or anatomy and physiology.
However, the difficulty may vary depending on the school and instructor.
To gauge how hard medical terminology might be for you, consider talking to senior students who have already taken the class. Ask about their experiences and, most importantly, gather information on the instructor.
PRO TIP
If you’re really good at memorization, you’ll do well in medical terminology. If you’re really bad at memorization, you’re going to struggle in medical terminology.
Ultimately, medical terminology is mainly about memorization. Success in this class hinges on developing your own strategies for remembering the terms.
If you excel at memorization, you’ll likely do well. If not, you might find the course challenging.
Tips for Excelling in Medical Terminology
1. Establish Study Groups
Study groups are beneficial for learning since they encourage peer-to-peer instruction and allow for knowledge sharing.
Collaborating with fellow students helps in retaining important information.
Make sure to consider different learning styles when organizing study groups to maximize your group’s effectiveness.
2. Utilize Whiteboards
Whiteboards are an effective tool for studying medical terminology. Handwriting has been shown to improve memory retention.
3. Concentrate on Prefixes and Suffixes
Mastering prefixes and suffixes makes medical terminology easier to understand. Use flashcards or whiteboards to practice common medical prefixes and suffixes.
For instance, consider the term “Hysterectomy”: “hyster-” refers to the uterus, and “-ectomy” means “the removal of.”
4. Seek Tutoring and Attend Office Hours
Many nursing programs offer tutoring services. If this is not available, consider hiring a tutor to help you study.
Additionally, take advantage of your professor’s office hours to address any difficulties you may encounter in the course.
5. Employ Flashcard Apps
While handwriting is crucial for retaining information, flashcard apps can be a valuable supplementary tool for on-the-go study sessions.
Apps like Quizlet offer various features to enhance your learning experience. Regardless of your preference for digital or paper flashcards, flashcard-based studying can improve your medical terminology skills.
6. Set Up a Dedicated Study Area
Creating a calm, organized study space tailored to your learning style is essential for success in medical terminology courses.
Ensure that all necessary materials such as pens, paper, sticky notes, and flashcards are within easy reach.
Depending on your preferences, playing calming music may help create a relaxing atmosphere for productive study sessions.
