Why do all the doctors use long words, and do you need to know long words to be a doctor?

In the old days doctors didn't think it was a good idea for patients to know what was wrong with them so it was useful to use words which they thought people would not understand. However, these days they realise that it helps if people, including children, understand what is wrong and what is being done to help them. Doctors still do have to use long words and that is why we are having this column to help children (and Mums and Dads) understand.  People had to study Latin to be allowed to go to University to study to be doctors so it was natural that the medical words were made from Latin or Greek ones. However, there are also good reasons to have long words. If you have a long word it can describe exactly what you want to say. If it is made from one language, such as Greek or Latin then doctors in other countries can understand medical language.

I call it "Medispeak". Languages are fun. If you can speak Italian, which is like Latin, or modern Greek (or have friends or a teacher to ask) you can work out the long words. Gastroenterology This is from Latin - "Gastro-" = stomach,

"entero-"= bowels and "ology-" = study. So it means what it says on the tin, the study of the stomach and intestines, which is why gastroenterologists know about Crohn's disease and Colitis.

Paediatrician This is mainly from Greek which has its own alphabet.

"Paed-" is from a word that sounds like

pethi = child,

"iatr-" comes from a word that sounds like

iatros = doctor and

"ician" is actually from Latin and means someone who does it.

specialises in children's illnesses.

What happens to my blood after they take a blood test?

You probably saw that your blood was squirted from the syringe into small tubes.  The tubes have different coloured labels on them.  Your name, your hospital number and the date are written onto all the tubes so that people will know that it is your blood.

It looks like a lot of blood but you have much more than that left inside you so it is quite safe.

The coloured tubes go to different parts of the laboratory so that all sorts of tests can be done.  Some go the haematology department for a “full blood count”

to see whether you are anaemic etc.  Some go to the biochemistry department to test how well parts of your body are working eg your kidneys and liver.  Some are such complicated tests that they take a long time to do have to go to another specialist laboratory.

The results go on a computer so your doctor can find them as soon as they are ready.  There is a paper report as well which will be in your notes.

Next time you go for an appointment ask one of the nurses or doctors to explain your tests to you – but pick a time when they don’t look too busy!