Medical Assistant Career Ladder
Medical Assistant Career Ladder: Explore Your Career Options
July 24, 2024
Home Health Aide vs Home Care Aide
Home Health Aide vs Home Care Aide: Key Differences
August 23, 2024
Medical Assistant Career Ladder
Medical Assistant Career Ladder: Explore Your Career Options
July 24, 2024
Home Health Aide vs Home Care Aide
Home Health Aide vs Home Care Aide: Key Differences
August 23, 2024

Basic Medical Assistant Terminology (A-Z Guide)

Basic Medical Assistant Terminology

Navigating the healthcare field requires a firm grasp of its specialized terminology, essential for effective communication and job performance. This knowledge is particularly crucial for medical assistants. 

Our complete A-Z guide of basic medical assistant terminology aims to familiarize you with the key terms you will encounter in your daily responsibilities.

Whether you are a student, a newly certified medical assistant, or seeking to refresh your knowledge, this guide will serve as an invaluable resource, enhancing your understanding and proficiency within the medical field.

What are the responsibilities of a medical assistant?

Medical assistants play a vital role in the healthcare system, bridging the gap between patients and physicians.

Their responsibilities are diverse, encompassing both administrative and clinical tasks. These duties ensure the smooth operation of medical facilities and contribute significantly to patient care.

Administrative Responsibilities

  • Scheduling patient appointments
  • Managing patient records
  • Handling billing and coding for insurance purposes
  • Answering phone calls and emails
  • Greeting patients and managing the front desk

Clinical Responsibilities

  • Taking patient histories and vital signs
  • Preparing patients for examinations
  • Assisting physicians during exams and procedures
  • Drawing blood and administering injections
  • Performing basic laboratory tests

The scope of a medical assistant’s duties may vary depending on the healthcare setting and the state's regulations. To learn more about how to enter this rewarding field, visit our guide on how to become a medical assistant.

A-Z medical assistant terminology list

A solid understanding of medical terminology is essential for any medical assistant, as it forms the foundation for effective communication within the healthcare environment.

This comprehensive A-Z guide is designed to help you familiarize yourself with the most common root words, prefixes, and suffixes used in medical terminology.

Root words

  • cardi/o: Heart
  • derm/o: Skin
  • gastr/o: Stomach
  • hepat/o: Liver
  • my/o: Muscle 
  • nephro/o: Kidney
  • neur/o: Nerve
  • os/o, oste/o: Bone
  • ὀphthalm/o: Eye
  • path/o: Disease
  • pulmo/o: Lung
  • sangui/o: Blood
  • therm/o: Heat

Prefixes

  • a-, an-: Without/ not 
  • Bi-: Two
  • Dys-: Bad, painful
  • endo-:
  • hyper-:
  • hypo-:
  • inter-:
  • intra-:
  • peri-:
  • post-:
  • pre-:
  • sub-:
  • tachy-:
  • trans-:

Suffixes

  • -ectomy: 
  • -gram: 
  • -itis:
  • -logy: 
  • -opia: 
  • -scope:
  • -tomy:

Was this article helpful?

Yes
No
Thanks for your feedback!
Josefina Buonaccordo
Josefina Buonaccordo
A highly experienced, enthusiastic and result oriented School Coordinator and Principal with a track record of developing instructional materials; coordinating educational contents and incorporating current technology in specialized fields that provide guidelines to educators and instructors for developing curricula and conducting courses. Effective monitoring and tutoring skills. Good organizational and time management skills with ability to maintain set guidelines. Attention to detail and ability to maintain high standards of professionalism. Understanding of diversified learning needs of students, proficient in integrating technology resources and various teaching methods, and in employing learning measurement tools to create positive results in individuals and groups. Self-starter, with a team-oriented attitude possessing strong analytical skills coupled with excellent cross-cultural communication skills, culturally competent with ability to work in diverse environments. Fluent in Spanish, English and Italian.