Medicine portal selected content

Medicine is the science and practice of establishing the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness. Contemporary medicine applies biomedical sciences, biomedical research, genetics, and medical technology to diagnose, treat, and prevent injury and disease, typically through pharmaceuticals or surgery, but also through therapies as diverse as psychotherapy, external splints and traction, medical devices, biologics, and ionizing radiation, amongst others.

History of Medicine

The history of medicine shows how societies have changed in their approach to illness and disease from ancient times to the present. Early medical traditions include those of Babylon, China, Egypt, and India. The Greeks introduced the concepts of medical diagnosis, prognosis, and advanced medical ethics. The Hippocratic Oath was written in ancient Greece in the 5th century BCE, and is a direct inspiration for oaths of office that physicians swear upon entry into the profession today. In the medieval age, surgical practices inherited from the ancient masters were improved and then systematized in Rogerius's The Practice of Surgery. Universities began systematic training of physicians around 1220 CE in Italy.

Modern Medicine

With the advent of the modern age, the structure of medicine changed dramatically. Advances in chemistry, genetics, and microbiology led to the modern science of medicine. The discovery of antibiotics and vaccines for major diseases and the eradication of smallpox marked a major breakthrough in modern medicine. With the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955 and the eradication of polio in most countries, global vaccinations became a norm.

Branches of Medicine

Medicine is divided into many specialties including General practice, Medical Specialties, and Surgical specialties. Each specialty has its own specific requirements and areas of focus. General practice, also known as family medicine, involves providing comprehensive health care for the individual and the family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body. Medical specialties focus on a specific part of the body or type of disease, such as Cardiology or Infectious diseases. Surgical specialties involve manual and operative procedures to treat diseases, injuries, and deformities.

Medical Ethics

Medical ethics is a system of moral principles that apply values and judgments to the practice of medicine. As a scholarly discipline, medical ethics encompasses its practical application in clinical settings as well as work on its history, philosophy, theology, and sociology. Issues in medical ethics include the confidentiality of patient information, the ethics of organ transplantation, and the right to refuse treatment.

The Future of Medicine

The future of medicine lies in further integration of technology into medical research and healthcare practices. Telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence in healthcare, and advancements in genomic medicine are expected to play a significant role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Personalized medicine, where treatment and prognosis are decided based on an individual's genetic profile, might become the norm.

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