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.