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Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 34 hours
  • Course by University of Pittsburgh
  • Offered by

About

Understanding the clinical terms and abbreviations commonly used during verbal or written communication in U.S. hospitals is challenging. This course is designed for U.S. health care profession students and for international students and practitioners who want to become more familiar with the language of the U.S. clinical setting. Others, such as caregivers and medical interpreters, who wish to develop a better understanding of terms and abbreviations used by health care providers will find this course helpful. The course provides visual and auditory learning experiences to enhance the understanding of terms and abbreviations commonly encountered on a general U.S. hospital unit. All content including quizzes are available at no cost to the learner. If you need a certificate, you can apply for financial aid or pay the fee. To find out more, click Learn more and apply next to the information about Financial Aid. (Use a computer, not a mobile device, for this step.)

Modules

Introduction

    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
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1 Discussions

  • Welcome and please introduce yourself

2 Readings

  • Welcome to Clinical Terminology!
  • Course Overview

Getting Started

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Introduction to Abbreviations and Complex Terms

4 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Guidelines for Understanding Clinical Abbreviations
  • Key Terms
  • Prefix, Root, Suffix (PRS) List

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Vital Signs

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Vital Signs

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Vital Signs

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Temperature

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related toTemperature

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Temperature

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Pulse

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Pulse

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Pulse

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Respiratory Rate, SpO2 and TPR

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Respiratory Rate, SpO2 and TPR

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Respiratory Rate, SpO2 and TPR

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Blood Pressure

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Blood Pressure

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Blood Pressure

Quiz: Week 1

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 1

1 Readings

  • Week 1 Study Guide

Getting Started

    • 2 Videos
    • 4 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Decoding Complex Medical Terms
  • Tour of the US Clinical Unit

4 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Guidelines for Understanding Complex Medical Terms
  • Key Terms
  • Prefix, Root, Suffix (PRS) List

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Health Care Provider Titles

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Health Care Provider Titles

1 Videos

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Health Care Provider Titles

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Health Care Provider Titles

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Hospital and Associated Clinical Units

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Hospital and Associated Clinical Units

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Hospital and Associated Clinical Units

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Electronic Medical Records

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Electronic Medical Records

1 Videos

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Electronic Medical Records

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Electronic Medical Records

Abbreviations and Terms related to the History and Physical Examination

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 3 Assignment
Show info about module content

3 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms related to the History and Physical Examination
  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Patient Health Care Practitioner Notation
  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Clinical Assessment Notation

1 Videos

  • Abbreviations and Terms related to the History and Physical Examination

3 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms related to the History and Physical Examination
  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Patient Health Care Practitioner Notation
  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Clinical Assessment Notation

Patient Cases

    • 3 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 3 Assignment
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3 Assignment

  • The Surgical Patient: Mrs. Gerto
  • The Comatose Patient: Mr. Taggert
  • The Medical Patient: Mr. Cope

3 Videos

  • The Surgical Patient: Mrs. Gerto
  • The Comatose Patient: Mr. Taggert
  • The Medical Patient: Mr. Cope

3 Readings

  • The Surgical Patient: Mrs. Gerto
  • The Comatose Patient: Mr. Taggert
  • The Medical Patient: Mr. Cope

Quiz: Week 2

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 2

1 Readings

  • Week 2 Study Guide

Getting Started

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Advanced Decoding Strategies for Clinical Terms

4 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Guidelines for Safe Use of Abbreviations
  • Key Terms
  • Prefix, Root, Suffix (PRS) List

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Emergency Situations

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Emergency Situations

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Emergency Situations

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Timing of Medications

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Timing of Medications

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Timing of Medications

Abbreviations and Terms Related to Route of Administration

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Route of Administration

1 Videos

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Administration of Medications and IV Fluids

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to Route of Administration

Quiz: Week 3

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 3

1 Readings

  • Week 3 Study Guide

Getting Started

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Diseases of the Bodily Systems

4 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Guidelines for Understanding the Abbreviations for Diseases and Medical Conditions
  • Key Terms
  • Prefix, Root, Suffix (PRS) List

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Neurological System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Neurological System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Neurological System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Musculoskeletal System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Musculoskeletal System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Musculoskeletal System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Cardiovascular System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Cardiovascular System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Cardiovascular System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Respiratory System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Respiratory System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Respiratory System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Gastrointestinal System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Gastrointestinal System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Gastrointestinal System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Genitourinary System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Genitourinary System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Genitourinary System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Endocrine System

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Endocrine System

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to the Endocrine System

Abbreviations and Terms Related to General Diagnoses

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to General Diagnoses

1 Readings

  • Abbreviations and Terms Related to General Diagnoses

Quiz: Week 4

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 4

1 Readings

  • Week 4 Study Guide

Getting Started

    • 1 Videos
    • 5 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures

5 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Guidelines for Understanding the Abbreviations for Laboratory Tests
  • Key Terms
  • Prefix, Root, Suffix (PRS) List
  • Supplemental Information About Laboratory Tests

A Patient with Anemia

    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with Anemia

3 Readings

  • A Patient with Anemia
  • A Patient with Anemia Exercise
  • A Patient with Anemia Answer Key

A Patient with Diabetes

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with Diabetes

1 Readings

  • A Patient with Diabetes

A Patient with Liver Disease

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with Liver Disease

1 Readings

  • A Patient with Liver Disease

A Patient with Kidney Disease

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with Kidney Disease

1 Readings

  • A Patient with Kidney Disease

A Patient with a Traumatic Brain Injury

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with a Traumatic Brain Injury

1 Readings

  • A Patient with a Traumatic Brain Injury

A Patient Requiring Anticoagulation

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient Requiring Anticoagulation

1 Readings

  • A Patient Requiring Anticoagulation

A Patient with Urinary Tract Problems

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Patient with Urinary Tract Problems

1 Readings

  • A Patient with Urinary Tract Problems

Quiz: Week 5

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 5

1 Readings

  • Week 5 Study Guide

Getting Started

    • 2 Readings
Show info about module content

2 Readings

  • Learning Objectives
  • Key Terms

Introduction to Clinical Simulation

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • A Doctor’s Request

2 Videos

  • Introduction to Clinical Simulation
  • A Doctor’s Request

1 Readings

  • Introduction to Clinical Simulation

Clinical Simulation

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 5 Assignment
Show info about module content

5 Assignment

  • CC and HPI
  • PMH and Admission DX
  • Vitals and Medications
  • Clinical Chaos
  • Hemorrhage and TX

5 Videos

  • CC and HPI
  • PMH and Admission DX
  • Vitals and Medications
  • Clinical Chaos
  • Hemorrhage and TX

1 Readings

  • Clinical Simulation Resources

Week 6: Quiz

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Week 6

Week 6 Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Goodbye from Dr. Swigart

1 Readings

  • Contributing to the Clinical Terminology Dictionary

Auto Summary

"Clinical Terminology for International and U.S. Students" is a foundational health and fitness course on Coursera, tailored for U.S. healthcare students, international practitioners, caregivers, and medical interpreters. It focuses on understanding clinical terms and abbreviations used in U.S. hospitals through visual and auditory learning experiences. The course lasts 2040 minutes and offers free access to all content, with options for financial aid or certificate purchase. Subscription plans include Starter and Professional, making it accessible and beneficial for a wide audience seeking to improve their clinical communication skills.

Valerie Swigart, Ph.D. R.N.
Instructors

Valerie Swigart, Ph.D. R.N.

Michael Gold, Ph.D.
Instructors

Michael Gold, Ph.D.