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Medicine

life science Maturity 11-13 Vital Level 2 Next article →

Medicine is the science of caring for people. It helps people stay healthy and treats injury or sickness.

The Doctor Luke Fildes crop
The Doctor Luke Fildes crop

This field works to find out what is wrong with a person. It also looks at how to stop sickness before it starts. Doctors use many tools to help patients. They might use surgery or special drugs. They can also use machines or even radiation to heal.

Drug ampoule JPN
Drug ampoule JPN

When you visit a doctor, they follow a specific way it works. First, they talk to you about your health history. They ask about your family and your daily life. This is called a medical interview. Next, they perform a physical exam. They use sight, hearing, and touch to check your body. They might use a stethoscope to listen to your heart.

Nurses at Butawin Urban Clinic, PNG (10711159465)
Nurses at Butawin Urban Clinic, PNG (10711159465)

They may also use tools like a tongue depressor. After this, they might order blood tests to find more clues.

Medicine has changed a lot over many years. In the past, it was often seen as an art. People used herbs or prayers to try to heal. Ancient doctors even used bloodletting to treat people.

Pellegrinaio Santa Maria della Scala n5
Pellegrinaio Santa Maria della Scala n5

Today, medicine is a mix of art and science. For example, a doctor learns the art of stitching a wound. But they use science to understand the tiny cells in the skin.

Medical students learning about stitches (2760577402)
Medical students learning about stitches (2760577402)

There are many different ways medicine is used today. In some places, people use traditional medicine or folk medicine. In the Western world, many people use scientific medicine. This is often called evidence-based medicine.

Paul-Louis Simond injecting plague vaccine June 4th 1898 Karachi
Paul-Louis Simond injecting plague vaccine June 4th 1898 Karachi

Doctors follow a very important rule. This rule is part of the Hippocratic Oath. It says they must "first, do no harm." This helps keep patients safe and builds trust.

Many different professionals work together in health care. This includes doctors, nurses, and psychologists.

Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell

Some care is given in small clinics near your home. This is called primary care. It handles about 90% of all medical visits. Other care happens in big hospitals for more serious needs. This can be secondary or tertiary care. Different countries have different ways of paying for these services. Some use a system called universal health care to help everyone.

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Global thinking.svg
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WHO Rod.svg
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Changing lives for girls and women every...
File:SantaMariaDellaScalaSienaBack.JPG
SantaMariaDellaScalaSienaBack.JPG
File:Drawing by Marguerite Martyn of a visiting nurse with medicine and four babies, 1918.jpg
Drawing by Marguerite Martyn of a...
File:Medical students learning about stitches (2760577402).jpg
Medical students learning about stitches...
File:Sydänlääkkeen pakkausta lääketehdas Starilla vuonna 1953. Kuva Vapriikin kuva-arkisto. (16248845637).jpg
Sydänlääkkeen pakkausta lääketehdas...
File:Drug ampoule JPN.jpg
Drug ampoule JPN.jpg
File:Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885.jpg
Albert Edelfelt - Louis Pasteur - 1885.jpg
File:Pellegrinaio Santa Maria della Scala n5.jpg
Pellegrinaio Santa Maria della Scala n5.jpg
File:Madrid (RPS 13-07-2010) Organización Médica Colegial de España, fachada.jpg
Madrid (RPS 13-07-2010) Organización...
File:The Doctor Luke Fildes crop.jpg
The Doctor Luke Fildes crop.jpg

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