medical terminolgy class when to take?

kasia2 · Jul 30, 2007

Medical terminology is not required for the nursing program but I want to take one before I start nursing school. I am just about to start my pre-reqs so my question is when is the best time to take it.
Will it help if I take it this semester cause next semester is A & P, I've heard it helps with that classs.
Or should I take it right before I go into nursing school.
I guess my question should be should I take it at the beginning? Will it help with my pre-reqs.

Well Im taking medical terminology this summer and we learn medical words by every body system. So not only Im learning new medical word but Im also reviewing the long time forgotten Anatomy and Physiology which i think will help me when I start nursing classes. Dont get me wrong we dont go into detail like you would normally do in Anatomy and Physiology course but we do have to know the main functionds and main body parts for the tests. I, personally dont regret investing money in medical terminology class because i feel im more competent with medical terms ( no prior health care exposure ) I also think that you should take medical terminology class just right before entering nursing school because trust me you will forget a lot of those terms plus it will be great opportunity for general anatomy and physiology rewiew. Well anyway good luck with your decision.

MikeyJ, RN · Jul 30, 2007

I took my medical terminology class the semester before I entered nursing school. It was not a required class, but I was wait-listed for one semester and I needed to take a few classes. I am glad I took the class! It was extremely helpful and like the other poster said, it forced me to review some A&P.

kukukajoo, LPN · Jul 31, 2007

I took it as a fill in class while taking prereqs- alongside A & P I and Chemisty.

It helped me a ton with my anatomy class and I wished I took it before.

Helped me soooo much!!!

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 1, 2007

I took medical terminology years ago before I became a transcriptionist. It is priceless! I don't know how anyone can come into nursing school cold not knowing medical terminology at all.

It saves some much time having to look up every single word. You can analyze the word, take it apart and kind of figure out what it means.

I wish medical terminology was a requirement for nursing school. Being in the midst of nursing school is not the time to try and learn it, I think.

09RN · Aug 1, 2007

Its actually apart of our nursing program. Its a self study class. We have to take online test by certain dates . I have already started working on the first 4 chapters so I can take my first test the first week of class. I am lucky that when I took A & P 1 my professor made us learn the suffixes out of that textbook we used and were tested 50 at a time. Well most of them are the ones Im learning in Medical terminology so its been a review for me. But it does help with understanding words. Plus I think its helpful when taking a test and there isnt a word you know but if you have learning most of the suffixes and prefixes means as well as core words then you can figure out that big word youd never seen before means.