Assignemnt: Medical Terminology
Chapter Review
The Human Touch: Critical Thinking Exercises
The following story and questions are designed to stimulate critical thinking through class discussion or as a brief essay response. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions.
Baylie Hutchins sits at her kitchen table, highlighter in hand, with her medical terminology book opened to the ?rst chapter. Her 2-year-old son, Mathias, plays with a box of animal crackers in his high chair, some even ?nding his mouth. " Arteri/o, ather/o, and arthr/o," she mutters, lips moving to shape unfamiliar sounds. "They're too much alike, and they mean totally different things." Mathias sneezes loudly, and spots of animal cracker rain, punctuating her frustration.
"Great job, Thias," she says wiping the text with her ?nger. "I planned on using the highlighter to mark with, not your lunch." Mathias giggles and peeks through the tunnel made by one small hand.
"Mucous and mucus," she reads aloud, each sounding the same. Then she remembers her teacher's tip for remembering the difference, "The long word is the membrane, and the short one is the secretion."
Mathias picks up an animal cracker and excitedly shouts, "Tiger, Mommy! Tiger!" "That's right, Thias. Good job!"
Turning back to the page she stares at the red word parts -rrhagia, -rrhaphy, -rrhea, and -rrhexis. Stumbling over the pronunciations, Baylie closes her eyes and tries to silence the voices in her head. "You can't do anything right," her ex-husband says. "Couldn't ?nish if your life depended on it," her mother's voice snaps.
Baylie keeps at it, " Rhin/o means nose," as she highlights those three words, "and a rhinoceros has a big horn on his nose."
"Rhino!" Matthias shouts, holding up an animal cracker. Baylie laughs. We both have new things to learn, she realizes. And we can do it!
Suggested Discussion Topic
1. Baylie needs to learn medical terminology because she wants a career in the medical ?eld. What study habits would help Baylie accomplish this task?
2. A support group could help empower Baylie to accomplish her goals. What people would you suggest for this group and why?
3. How can this textbook and other resource materials help her, and you, learn medical terminology?
4. Discuss strategies that the instructor could use and has already used to help Baylie improve her medical terminology skills.
Chpter 1: Introduction to Medical Terminology: 1-14b The Human Touch: Critical Thinking Exercises Book Title: Medical Terminology for Health Professions By: Abbas AL Safar.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.