This article is about medical science. For substances that treat patients, see drug, medication and pharmacology
In the context of the anthropology of religion, see Religious Science Practitioner, Church of Christ Scientist, (Christian Science), and medicine (shamanism) for objects with supernatural power and/or the supernatural power that such items possess.
A note to contributors: This article is about medicine in general. Please consider adding your contributions about medical topics to individual articles rather than this page (many are linked below, and there are more on the List of medical topics), and please think twice before adding more links here - otherwise this article could easily degenerate into an unreadable list of links.
Medicine is an area of human knowledge concerned with restoring health. It is, in the broadest sense of the term, the science and practice of the prevention and curing of human diseases, and other ailments of the human body or mind. However, it is often used only to refer to those matters dealt with by academically trained physicians and surgeons. There are many traditional and modern methods and schools of healing which are usually not considered to be part of medicine in a strict sense (see health science for an overview).
Medicine has two aspects: both as an area of knowledge (a science), and as an application of that knowledge (the medical professions). Evidence-based medicine is an attempt to link these two aspects through the use of the scientific method and techniques derived from safety engineering.
The various specialized branches of the science of medicine correspond to equally specialized medical professions dealing with particular organs or diseases. It may therefore be difficult to distinguish clearly between the science and the profession.
History of medicine
History of medicine -- Timeline of medicine and medical technology
Museums & Collections of Health & Medicine
Medicine has both its foundational sciences, and specialized branches dealing with particular organs or diseases. The foundational sciences of medicine frequently overlap with other areas of science (such as veterinary science, biology or chemistry).
The primary medical professions are those of physicians and surgeons. Both professions have many specializations and subspecializations (see below). Dentistry and clinical psychology are separate from medicine in a strict sense, but are both medical fields by the wider definition of the term.
There are also many allied health professions (AHPs): nursing, medical laboratory science, pharmacy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and bioengineering.
Medical training is long and grueling, involving several years of university study followed by several more years of residential practice at a hospital. Most medical students spend some time as an intern -- a medical apprenticeship -- supervised by other, more experienced doctors. Entry to a medical degree in some countries (such as the United States) requires the completion of another degree first, while in other countries (such as the United Kingdom) medical training can be commenced as an undergraduate degree immediately after secondary education.
The name of the medical degree gained at the end varies: some countries (e.g. the US) call it 'Doctor of Medicine' (abbreviated 'M.D.'), while others (e.g. Australia, Pakistan) call it 'Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (Chirurgie)' (a double degree, frequently abbreviated 'M.B.B.S' or 'M.B.B.Ch.'). In either case graduates of a medical degree may call themselves doctor. In many countries, a doctorate of medicine is not a PhD which requires original research, but is like a doctorate in law (J.D.) or theology (Th.D.).
A graduate can then enter general practice and become a general practitioner; or they can specialise in any one of a number of medical fields, and become a specialist; or they can become a surgeon. No matter what they choose, even more training is involved.
In most countries, it is prohibited to practice medicine without a proper degree in that field and doctors must be licensed by a medical board or some other equivalent organization. This is meant as a safeguard against charlatans. Occasionally, this has been seen as an obstacle to proponents of alternative medicines or faith healing.
Big killers -- Rare diseases
Medical sciences and medical professions
Basic, supplementary and related sciences
Diagnostic and imaging specialties
Disciplines of clinical medicine
Teaching of medicine
Legal restrictions
Institutions in medicine
Clinic -- Hospital -- HospiceRelated topics
Nursing -- Midwifery -- Dentistry -- Alternative medicine -- Chinese medicine -- Sanitary professions -- Healthcare system -- List_of_medical_abbreviations -- medical equipment -- Nutrition scienceSee also
Entries not yet sorted
Medical Informatics -- Medical Computer Science -- Pain therapy -- Palliative care -- Reproduction medicine --
Sanitation -- Nosology -- Telemedicine -- eHealth -- Consumer Health Informatics -- Telehealth -- Aerospace Medicine -- Physiatry and Rehabiliation medicine -- Forensic medicine -- Andrology
