Outline of medicine

The Rod of Asclepius, a symbol commonly associated with medicine

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to medicine:

Medicine – science of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain health by the prevention and treatment of illness.

Aims

Branches of medicine

Anesthesiology – practice of medicine dedicated to the relief of pain and total care of the surgical patient before, during and after surgery.
Alternative medicine; is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine.
Cardiology – branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the blood vessels.
Critical care medicine – focuses on life support and the intensive care of the seriously ill.
Dentistry – branch of medicine that deals with treatment of diseases in the oral cavity
Dermatology – branch of medicine that deals with the skin, hair, and nails.
Emergency medicine – focuses on care provided in the emergency department
Endocrinology – branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the endocrine system.
Epidemiology – study of cause and prevalence of diseases and programs to contain them
First aid – assistance given to any person experiencing a sudden illness or injury, with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, and/or promote recovery. It includes initial intervention in a serious condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as performing CPR while awaiting an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of minor conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut.
Gastroenterology – branch of medicine that deals with the study and care of the digestive system.
General practice (often called family medicine) is a branch of medicine that specializes in primary care.
Geriatrics – branch of medicine that deals with the general health and well-being of the elderly.
Gynaecology – diagnosis and treatment of the female reproductive system
Hematology – branch of medicine that deals with the blood and the circulatory system.
Hepatology – branch of medicine that deals with the liver, gallbladder and the biliary system.
Infectious disease (Outline of concepts) – branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and management of infectious disease, especially for complex cases and immunocompromised patients.
Internal medicine – involved with adult diseases
Neurology – branch of medicine that deals with the brain and the nervous system.
Nephrology – branch of medicine which deals with the kidneys.
Obstetrics – care of women during and after pregnancy
Occupational medicine – branch of medicine concerned with the maintenance of health in the workplace
Oncology – branch of medicine that studies the types of cancer.
Ophthalmology – branch of medicine that deals with the eyes.
Optometry – branch of medicine that involves examining the eyes and applicable visual systems for defects or abnormalities as well as the medical diagnosis and management of eye disease.
Orthopaedics – branch of medicine that deals with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system.
Otorhinolaryngology – branch of medicine that deals with the ears, nose and throat.
Pathology – study of causes and pathogenesis of diseases.
Pediatrics – branch of medicine that deals with the general health and well-being of children and in some countries like the U.S. young adults.
Preventive medicine – measures taken for disease prevention, as opposed to disease treatment.
Psychiatry – branch of medicine that deals with the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders.
Pulmonology – branch of medicine that deals with the respiratory system.
Radiology – branch of medicine that employs medical imaging to diagnose and treat disease.
Sports medicine – branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise.
Rheumatology – branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases.
Surgery – branch of medicine that uses operative techniques to investigate or treat both disease and injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.
Urology – branch of medicine that deals with the urinary system of both sexes and the male reproductive system

Medical biology

Fields of medical biology

Anatomy – study of the physical structure of organisms. In contrast to macroscopic or gross anatomy, cytology and histology are concerned with microscopic structures.
- List of anatomical topics
Biochemistry – study of the chemistry taking place in living organisms, especially the structure and function of their chemical components.
Bioinformatics
Biological engineering
Biophysics
Biostatistics – application of statistics to biological fields in the broadest sense. A knowledge of biostatistics is essential in the planning, evaluation, and interpretation of medical research. It is also fundamental to epidemiology and evidence-based medicine.
Biotechnology
- Nanobiotechnology
Cell biology – microscopic study of individual cells.
Embryology – study of the early development of organisms.
Gene therapy
Genetics – study of genes, and their role in biological inheritance.
- Cytogenetics
Histology – study of the structures of biological tissues by light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry.
Immunology – study of the immune system, which includes the innate and adaptive immune system in humans, for example.
Laboratory medical biology
Microbiology – study of microorganisms, including protozoa, bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Molecular biology
Neuroscience (outline) – includes those disciplines of science that are related to the study of the nervous system. A main focus of neuroscience is the biology and physiology of the human brain and spinal cord.
Parasitology
Pathology – study of disease, including the causes, course, progression and resolution thereof.
Physiology – study of the normal functioning of the body and the underlying regulatory mechanisms.
Systems biology
Virology
Toxicology – study of hazardous effects of drugs and poisons.
and many others (typically, life sciences that pertain to medicine)

Illness (diseases and disorders)

Medical practice

Practice of medicine

Drugs

Drug

Medical equipment

Medical labs

Blood test

Medical facilities

Medical education

Medical education – education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner; either the initial training to become a physician, additional training thereafter, and fellowship.

Medical research

Clinical research (outline)

Medical jargon

Medical terminology

List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes

Medical abbreviations and acronyms

Medical glossaries

Medical organizations

List of medical organisations
- List of LGBT medical organizations
- List of pharmacy associations

Government agencies

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
Food and Drug Administration (US)
National Academy of Medicine (US)
National Institutes of Health (US)

Medical publications

Persons influential in medicine

List of physicians

Medical scholars

An Arabic manuscript, dated 1200 CE, titled *Anatomy of the Eye*, authored by al-Mutadibih

The earliest known physician, Hesyre.
The first recorded female physician, Peseshet.
Borsippa, a Babylonian who wrote the Diagnostic Handbook.
The Iranian chemist, Rhazes.
Avicenna, the philosopher and physician.
Greco-Roman medical scholars:
- Hippocrates, commonly considered the father of modern medicine.
- Galen, known for his ambitious surgeries.
- Andreas Vesalius
- Oribasius, a Byzantine who compiled medical knowledge.
Abu al-Qasim, an Islamic physician known as the father of modern surgery.
Medieval European medical scholars:
- Theodoric Borgognoni, one of the most significant surgeons of the medieval period, responsible for introducing and promoting important surgical advances including basic antiseptic practice and the use of anaesthetics.
- Guy de Chauliac, considered to be one of the earliest fathers of modern surgery, after the great Islamic surgeon, Abu al-Qasim.
- Realdo Colombo, anatomist and surgeon who contributed to understanding of lesser circulation.
- Michael Servetus, considered to be the first European to discover the pulmonary circulation of the blood.
- Ambroise Paré suggested using ligatures instead of cauterisation and tested the bezoar stone.
- William Harvey describes blood circulation.
- John Hunter, surgeon.
- Amato Lusitano described venous valves and guessed their function.
- Garcia de Orta first to describe Cholera and other tropical diseases and herbal treatments
- Percivall Pott, surgeon.
- Sir Thomas Browne physician and medical neologist.
- Thomas Sydenham physician and so-called "English Hippocrates."
Kuan Huang, who studied abroad and brought his techniques back to homeland china.
Ignaz Semmelweis, who studied and decreased the incidence of childbed fever.
Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch founded bacteriology.
Alexander Fleming, whose accidental discovery of penicillin advanced the field of antibiotics.