Medical Terminology books are vital for educating students and healthcare professionals on human anatomy and physiology.These books provide a basis for anatomical medical terminology and medical communication to articulate and treat patients effectively.
Medical terminology also allows medical professionals to describe the human body accurately. As a result, they can share vital health-related information to understand, discuss, and treat various conditions properly.
Whether you’re having difficulty understanding medical terminology or just getting started with your education, the following books listed in our review have been designed to make the process of learning, understanding, and comprehending medical terminology as easy and efficient as possible.
Each of these books uses unique learning methods and strategies to help students, educators, and curious individuals of all levels master the subject of medical terminology, from beginners to professionals.
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1. Medical Terminology for Dummies
Medical Terminology for Dummies is a well-written book that offers a simplified approach to helping healthcare professionals learn and remember complex and confusing medical terms through easy-to-use educational exercises.
Throughout the book, readers will be provided with many medical definitions and examples.
These definitions and examples break down the hows and whys of medical language. As a result, it helps students and professionals better understand various terms and meanings.
The medical language will focus on the commonly used Greek and Latin roots, prefixes, and medical terminology suffixes. It ensures that readers use the language typically used in the medical field.
Memorization tricks and exercises improve the reader’s vocabulary, pronunciation, and retention skills.
And there are even sections of the book that offer recommended quizzes, mnemonic exercises, and entertaining games. You can use it to develop your medical terminology education to be a more effective communicator and professional.
Overall the Medical Terminology for Dummies book contains over 400 pages of valuable content. It will help you become a better healthcare provider regardless of your field or education level.
This book is a fantastic option for those with some experience. However, it truly benefits students and those just entering a nursing/medical program with a much higher learning curve. Using simplified exercises can help them gain a huge advantage early in their education.
2. Medical Terminology Systems – A Body Systems Approach
Medical Terminology Systems – A Body Systems Approach is a great guide that uses a straightforward word-building education style to help students and professionals develop a solid framework for understanding medical terminology.
While this book offers tons of helpful information in a contextual format for those who learn best by reading.
This book also provides full-color illustrations to help provide additional context and simplification of complex terminology, explanations, and concepts to ensure that readers have a great learning experience.
Medical Terminology Systems features over 700 pages of valuable content with plenty of images and formatting to allow for a very detailed and in-depth walk-through of everything related to medical terminology.
Aside from the usual reading / visual experience you get from a well-written medical book Medical Language Lab provides many valuable online resources.
It includes an integrated eBook, lecture videos, audio tutorials, multimedia activities, additional practice exercises, collaborative learning opportunities, and a grade book to help you maximize your learning experience.
Medical Terminology Systems – A Body Systems Approach is an excellent medical terminology book for nurses, students, doctors, and other healthcare providers who enjoy a visual learning approach and written content.
One important tip I would like to add is that if you plan on buying this book to take advantage of the online materials, you may want to consider purchasing a new book seriously.
As a result, you don’t have to worry about a potentially used access code that could make gaining access to the online materials a bit more complicated.
3. Medical Terminology – A Short Course
Medical Terminology – A Short Course offers a much faster read-through on the topic of medical terminology when compared to other books on our list.
It helps beginners and new students quickly grasp the basics of medical terminology without diving into a ton of additional material that may not be necessary for the early stages of education.
This book is about half the size of some other medical terminology books.
It provides an excellent foundation for those who don’t have a lot of time to learn about the subject but require a sufficient understanding of medical terminology, contextual anatomy, and physiology terms, definitions, principles, key concepts, and practical case studies to hone their knowledge on the topic of medical terminology.
This book has been written with an easy-to-read approach that streamlines the learning process using Davis Ellen Chabner’s learning method to provide the groundwork necessary to feel confident and competent within the medical field.
While reading this book, beginners and students will develop a working medical vocabulary of the most frequently used prefixes, suffixes, and word roots to ensure that they have a solid working knowledge and communication efficiency to communicate well with other medical professionals.
Throughout the book, readers will see plenty of full-color images accompanying essential topics to improve retention and simplify learning.
Additionally, the book offers a first-person narrative to help students understand various diseases and conditions through the patients’ eyes they will be treating.
Key concepts, spotlight features, and a workbook approach will also be present within the book to further reinforce important subject material in an easy-to-understand manner.
Finally, this book offers an online course for those who require additional resources and educational material to understand medical terminology fully.
Medical Terminology – A Short Course is an excellent introductory book for anyone just learning about medical terminology and those who may be starting late and require a fast-track approach to understanding the basics.
4. Medical Terminology Language – A Living Language
Medical Terminology – A Living Language is a popular medical book offered by the Pearson company (a highly respected publisher) that provides students with a step-by-step learning system for mastering the medical language.
It allows students to apply their knowledge to real-world applications rather than simply teaching them to memorize essential medical terms.
This system is also designed to develop a foundational knowledge of medical terminology to confidently and competently communicate with other medical professionals.
Throughout the book, readers develop their knowledge and skills through powerful training methods and exercises.
It includes a word parts-building method (within the context of basic human A&P) to help students develop and improve their comprehension, spelling, and adjective formation skills.
This is accomplished by introducing readers to human anatomy and physiology basics.
It offers a comprehensive list of word parts / word-build tables, medical illustrations, practice problems and exercises, abbreviations, medical phrases, chapter reviews, and summaries.
There are also additional formats that allow students to reinforce the lessons they’ve learned in each chapter.
While Medical Terminology – A Living Language may not be as helpful for those who already have a solid understanding of A&P medical terminology, it can be a beneficial resource for entry-level courses and those just beginning to learn about medical terminology.
Those interested in furthering their education beyond this book can take advantage of online digital tools (not included in the purchase) through MyLab Medical Terminology.
It includes interactive games, dynamic study modules, and narrated lectures. You’ll want to remember that MyLab is separate from the book purchase, so you may be required to register and purchase it separately.
Medical Terminology – A Living Language is a valuable book for first-time nursing and medical students who want to build a foundational understanding of medical terminology.
It’s also great for those who already have a professional education and are looking to review and relearn many important medical terminology topics.
5. Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals
Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals is, as the name suggests, a book that focuses on educating students and professionals who work within the healthcare system on medical terminology.
This book focuses on utilizing an in-depth learning systems approach to help students quickly master modern medical terminology while also providing a framework for rapidly decoding new medical terms that may be developed in the future.
Various educational strategies have been implemented throughout the book’s chapters to break down, simplify, and guide students through different medical terminology terms, definitions, topics, and concepts.
These strategies include helping students with decoding techniques, building a medical vocabulary using word parts, and
using color-coded word lists to pinpoint critical information.
They introduce essential suffixes and prefixes, use guided critical body systems, and offer educational advice on particular topics.
It provides a comprehensive knowledge base for students to learn and master their understanding of medical terminology and its various components.
As with Medical Terminology A Living Language, this book is offered by Pearson.
However, it provides its unique information, approach, and learning systems through the helpful advice of its author Jane Rice. It does offer the same online digital learning tools for those who want to take their education to the next level.
Medical Terminology for Health Care Professionals is regularly updated with new information to remain relevant to the constantly changing medical field.
It can provide a great alternative learning style to other books on our list or act as a companion guide for additional medical terminology books and resources to help students gain a strong foundation in medical terminology.
Note: For those interested in online resources offered with some medical terminology books, we recommend purchasing the books new.
Accordingly, some used books may come with already used online codes or passwords, making gaining access to the online materials difficult.
How to Choose a Medical Terminology Book
There are several factors to consider to pick a suitable medical terminology book for school or work.
Medical terminology books provide students and experts with varying levels of education, from beginner to expert.
Some books cater to nursing students who are just starting their careers.
Others focus more heavily on professionals with a decent understanding of medical terminology. As a result, they’re great for those who understand medical terminology but require additional educational studies.
Similarly, some books focus primarily on recently updated or revised medical terms.
Different books provide an evergreen approach covering topics that don’t change much within medical terminology.
To know which book best suits you, ask yourself the following questions.
Know Why You’re Buying a Medical Terminology Book
By asking this question, you can better understand the type of book you need. It will help you determine whether you need an introductory book, pocket guide, or glossary. In medical terminology, you’ll also understand if you must delve deeper into more complex concepts, ideas, and strategies.
Ask yourself: Are you a medical/nursing student just starting in the medical field? Do you understand the topic well and are trying to take your education to the next level? Do you need a reference guide to assist you with specific terms you may not know? Are you well-versed in medical terminology but interested in staying updated with the latest medical terms and concepts?
Many books provide students and specialists with valuable information that caters to their education levels and needs.
Understanding Your Education Level
This question addresses which type of book you should choose based on how well you understand the subject material.
You can think of books as being offered in a variety of educational levels, including:
- Beginner/novice
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Expert
The higher your education level, the better you will understand and comprehend more advanced medical books.
An ideal medical terminology book provides adequate information to guide students through the beginner to advanced stages.
However, some books cater more specifically to a certain education level, so you may want to keep that in mind before buying.
Understanding Your Learning Style
The third question you should ask yourself is, what is your learning style?
A learning style is defined by how a person learns, deciphers, and understands information, topics, and concepts through various learning methods.
It includes sensory (i.e., audible, visual, and physical interaction) and cognitive processes ( i.e., logical, social, and solitary).
How easily you understand anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, and other topics depends on your learning style.
Learning styles may be broken down into one of several different categories/styles.
Standard Learning Styles:
- Visual (Spatial) you learn best through pictures, video, and spatial awareness
- Aural (Auditory) you learn best through sounds such as music and voice
- Verbal (Linguistic) you learn best through contextual formats and writing
- Physical (Kinesthetic) you learn best through touch and physical interaction
- Logical (Mathematical) you learn best through logic and reasoning
- Social (Interpersonal) you learn best through groups and social interaction
- Solitary (Interpersonal) you learn best by working/studying alone
Determining your learning style can significantly improve your comprehension and retention skills. As a result, you’ll better understand medical terminology and other important topics.
When studying medical terminology, consider how the books educate students and identify what resources they offer.
As mentioned in some of the reviews, some books focus heavily on using images to explain complex topics.
Some books offer online study resources with visual/video, auditory/lecture, and social features. It can help students improve their understanding of medical terminology.
Suppose you know that you do well with a specific learning style. In that case, pick a medical terminology book with educational resources and a learning style that suits your needs.
Who should buy a medical terminology book
Regardless of your position or title, if you work in the medical field or plan to become a healthcare provider, you must understand medical terminology.
This holds whether you are just starting in nursing /medical school, working at the healthcare clinic’s front desk, operating as a registered nurse, or providing healthcare products and services as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
Work with or for individuals who provide care to patients or communicate in fields related to medical care. You should seriously consider owning one or several medical terminology books.
These books will allow you to communicate clearly and effectively with those around you.
Medical terminology books can act as a medical dictionary or medical glossary for students or professionals who regularly encounter medical terminology in their field and want to understand the various terms used to describe human anatomy and physiology and related subject material.
Without a clear understanding of medical terminology, healthcare professionals, educators, and sales representatives may struggle to provide adequate care and communicate vital healthcare information to others in the healthcare field.
Medical Terminology Books are Essential For:
- Nursing students
- Medical students
- Certified nursing assistants
- Registered nurses
- EMTs (emergency medical technicians)
- Medical coding specialists
- Medical transcription specialists
- Physicians
- Radiologists
- Healthcare educators
- Allied Health Programs
- Healthcare/nurse practitioners
- Pharmaceutical sales reps
- Business education/individuals who do business in the healthcare field
And anyone else who works in or with the healthcare system where regular communication among healthcare specialists and patients is required.
Where to buy a medical terminology book
When purchasing a medical terminology book, there are many options for beginners, students, and professionals to choose from to get a great deal or find discount medical terminology books for sale or rent.
These options include purchasing/renting medical terminology books from online eCommerce sites such as Amazon, eBay, or Barnes and Noble.
Online eCommerce stores may offer great deals on medical/educational books due to having a huge customer base and can provide additional products/services that both students and non-students can take advantage of.
Alternatively, students can purchase books on textbooks buying, selling & renting websites offering discount pricing that can be cheaper than buying books from a college store.
These websites offer a wide selection of college textbooks for students in various educational fields.
These websites may also offer to buy your used college books when you are done with them to help you get some money back, ultimately reducing the overall cost of buying/owning your textbooks by up to 90%.
The third option is to purchase your medical books from your local college store, which can be more expensive than the other ways you can buy and sell your medical books.
The main advantage of buying textbook books from college is that they are (usually) readily available if you don’t have the time or patience to buy a book through an online seller who can take days or weeks to arrive.
Another advantage you may have when buying through a college store is a better guarantee that the book will be in good condition or at least easy to return.
Remember that you may be charged a premium for the convenience compared to alternative buying methods for buying a book through the college store.