Medical Terminology a pre req or co req?

[OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN]

I just started a 12 month LPN program. Med term was not a pre req and it's not even it's own course in my program. It's being mixed in with A + P. I think this is a huge mistake. I think it should have been a pre req.

I know med term very well as I've been a medical office assistant for 12 years and have re read my med term text/work book many times.

But I really feel for my classmates who have no medical background!! With our pre-reading for A +P as well as nursing arts, there are so many medical terms that I know, but it must take them forever to do the reading since they have to look up every word they don't know!

I strongly think that medical terminology should have been a pre req to the course. Not even a co req as it's so beneficial to know the words you are reading right from day 1.

What is it like at your school? Do you find knowing med term helpful before hand or if you didn't, are you finding difficult or fine without previous knowledge?

[Scrubz]

Taking the class definitly wouldn't hurt. You pick up on words as you go. Luckily for me I have a PDA with a medical dictionary installed, so if I ever run accross a word I'm not familiar with, I can look it up in about 6 seconds.

In my opinion, take it if you want it, but I don't think most people "need" it. But if you have the time, money, and desire, go for it!

[Music in My Heart]

At my school, it's a "no req" - we don't have to take it at all.

I definitely don't think it should be linked to anatomy nor physiology. I've taken both of those classes and found my word root dictionary to provide all the help that I needed.

[Jules A, MSN]

We didn't have to take it either. I had a veterinary terminology class that really did help me tremendously with nursing so I'd recommend taking one especially for people with extra time before they start the actual nursing courses.