Body Systems, Pathology & Diagnostics

This unit deepens students’ mastery of medical terminology across major body systems by linking anatomical roots and directional terms to common diseases, pathology, diagnostic tests, imaging, and procedures. Students practice interpreting case scenarios, using standard medical dictionaries, and documenting findings to prepare for advanced terminology and clinical communication in the final unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze medical terms for the endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular/lymphatic, respiratory, urinary, reproductive, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and sensory systems to identify and explain word roots, prefixes, and suffixes
• Apply knowledge of common conditions and pathologies to match diagnoses with appropriate signs, symptoms, and radiology/diagnostic tests
• Demonstrate correct use of anatomical directional terms, planes, body cavities, and procedural/surgical terminology when interpreting case scenarios and documenting findings using standard medical dictionaries
• Evaluate clinical vignettes to determine likely differential diagnoses, interpret diagnostic imaging or test results, and produce accurate terminology-based documentation for interdisciplinary communication