Medicine Vocabulary: 200 Key English Terms

depression

noun

Meaning

A mental health condition with persistent low mood or loss of interest and pleasure, lasting at least two weeks and affecting daily life.

Where you use it

Doctors ask about mood, sleep, appetite, energy, concentration and thoughts of self-harm, often using questionnaires such as the PHQ-9. It is graded as mild, moderate or severe. In everyday English 'depressed' can simply mean sad, so doctors check what the patient means.

Examples

1. Since losing his job, he has had symptoms of depression for over two months.

2. Postnatal depression affects many new mothers and responds well to treatment.

Common phrases

clinical depression · postnatal depression · screen for depression · symptoms of depression · severe depression

cardiac arrest

noun

Meaning

A sudden stop in the heart's pumping, so that blood no longer reaches the brain and other organs; without immediate CPR it causes death within minutes.

Where you use it

Hospital teams respond to a cardiac arrest call (a '2222 call' in UK hospitals). The person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. Doctors talk about shockable and non-shockable rhythms and the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC).

Examples

1. He went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance, and the crew started CPR.

2. Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, although a heart attack can cause one.

Usage note

Do not confuse it with a heart attack (myocardial infarction), where a coronary artery is blocked; in cardiac arrest the heart stops pumping.

Common phrases

go into cardiac arrest · in-hospital cardiac arrest · out-of-hospital cardiac arrest · cardiac arrest call

dehydration

noun

Meaning

A state in which the body has lost more water than it has taken in, so it no longer has enough fluid to work normally.

Where you use it

Common with vomiting, diarrhea, fever and hot weather, especially in babies and older people. Doctors look for a dry mouth, low urine output, sunken eyes and a fast pulse, and describe it as mild, moderate or severe.

Examples

1. The baby showed signs of dehydration after two days of diarrhea.

2. Her kidney function has worsened because of dehydration.

Common phrases

severe dehydration · signs of dehydration · mild dehydration · become dehydrated

risk factor

noun

Meaning

Anything that makes a person more likely to develop a disease, such as smoking, high blood pressure, age or family history.

Where you use it

Doctors list risk factors in the history and in case presentations: 'cardiovascular risk factors include...'. Some can be changed (modifiable: smoking, weight) and some cannot (non-modifiable: age, sex, genes).

Examples

1. Smoking is the biggest risk factor for lung cancer.

2. Does he have any risk factors for a blood clot, like recent surgery or a long flight?

Common phrases

major risk factor · modifiable risk factor · cardiovascular risk factors · reduce risk factors

obesity

noun

Meaning

A condition in which a person has so much body fat that it may harm their health; in adults it is usually defined as a BMI of 30 or more.

Where you use it

A major risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnoea and joint problems. To avoid stigma, doctors say 'people living with obesity' or 'a raised BMI' rather than 'fat'. 'Overweight' means a BMI of 25 to 29.9.

Examples

1. Obesity increases the risk of complications after surgery.

2. Childhood obesity has risen sharply over the last thirty years.

Usage note

The adjective is 'obese', but many doctors avoid calling a patient 'obese' to their face; they talk about weight or BMI instead.

Common phrases

childhood obesity · severe obesity · obesity-related disease · manage obesity

anemia

noun

Meaning

A condition in which the blood has too little hemoglobin or too few red cells, so less oxygen reaches the body's tissues.

Where you use it

Doctors classify it by the size of the red cells (microcytic, normocytic, macrocytic) and by cause, such as iron deficiency, B12 deficiency or blood loss. Symptoms include tiredness, breathlessness and pale skin. Patients may say 'low iron'.

Examples

1. Her blood count shows iron-deficiency anemia, so we need to find the source of blood loss.

2. Anemia in pregnancy is common and is checked at the first antenatal visit.

Usage note

US spelling: anemia, anemic. UK spelling: anaemia, anaemic.

Common phrases

iron-deficiency anemia · severe anemia · pernicious anemia · anemia of chronic disease

atrial fibrillation

noun

Meaning

A common heart rhythm problem in which the upper chambers of the heart beat fast and chaotically, giving an irregularly irregular pulse.

Where you use it

Usually shortened to AF (US: AFib). Doctors describe it as new-onset, paroxysmal or permanent, and discuss rate control, rhythm control and stroke risk, which is why many patients take anticoagulants. The ECG shows no P waves and irregular QRS complexes.

Examples

1. The ECG confirms atrial fibrillation with a rate of about 130.

2. Because of his atrial fibrillation, he takes an anticoagulant to lower his stroke risk.

Common phrases

new-onset atrial fibrillation · paroxysmal atrial fibrillation · fast atrial fibrillation · rate control

pulmonary embolism

noun

Meaning

A blockage of an artery in the lungs, usually by a blood clot that has travelled from a deep vein in the leg.

Where you use it

Shortened to PE. Typical features are sudden breathlessness, pleuritic chest pain, a fast heart rate and low oxygen saturation. Doctors use scores such as the Wells score and tests such as D-dimer and CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) to rule it in or out.

Examples

1. Two weeks after her knee replacement, she developed a pulmonary embolism.

2. The CT scan ruled out a pulmonary embolism.

Common phrases

suspected pulmonary embolism · massive pulmonary embolism · rule out a pulmonary embolism · CT pulmonary angiogram

anaphylaxis

noun

Meaning

A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that develops quickly and affects breathing, circulation or both.

Where you use it

Common triggers are foods such as peanuts, insect stings and drugs such as antibiotics. Signs include swelling of the lips and throat, wheeze, low blood pressure and a rash. It is a medical emergency, and adrenaline (US: epinephrine) is the first-line treatment.

Examples

1. He went into anaphylaxis within minutes of eating a cake that contained nuts.

2. She carries an adrenaline auto-injector because of previous anaphylaxis to bee stings.

Usage note

The adjective is 'anaphylactic': 'anaphylactic reaction', 'anaphylactic shock'. The stress is on 'LAK': an-uh-fuh-LAK-sis.

Common phrases

severe anaphylaxis · go into anaphylaxis · anaphylaxis to penicillin · treat anaphylaxis

angina

noun

Meaning

Chest pain or tightness caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscle, typically brought on by exertion and relieved by rest.

Where you use it

Doctors separate stable angina (predictable, with effort) from unstable angina (new, worsening or at rest), which is part of acute coronary syndrome. Many patients carry a GTN spray. Notes may say 'anginal chest pain'.

Examples

1. He gets angina when he walks uphill, and it settles within a few minutes of rest.

2. Her angina is now coming on at rest, so she has been admitted.

Usage note

Both an-JY-nuh and AN-jih-nuh are heard. It has nothing to do with the Turkish 'anjin', which means a throat infection.

Common phrases

stable angina · unstable angina · angina attack · exertional angina

deep vein thrombosis

noun

Meaning

A blood clot in one of the deep veins, usually in the leg, that can cause pain and swelling and may travel to the lungs.

Where you use it

Shortened to DVT. The risk is higher after surgery, on long journeys, in pregnancy, with cancer and with immobility, so hospital patients are assessed for VTE prophylaxis. Doctors use the Wells score, a D-dimer and a leg ultrasound (Doppler).

Examples

1. Her left calf is swollen and tender, so we need to rule out a deep vein thrombosis.

2. The Doppler scan confirmed a deep vein thrombosis in the right leg.

Common phrases

suspected deep vein thrombosis · rule out a deep vein thrombosis · deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis · proximal deep vein thrombosis

chronic kidney disease

noun

Meaning

Long-term loss of kidney function, lasting at least three months, which usually gets worse slowly over years.

Where you use it

Shortened to CKD and staged 1 to 5 by eGFR, with urine albumin added to the classification. Diabetes and high blood pressure are the main causes. Stage 5 is kidney failure, when dialysis or a transplant may be needed. Many drug doses are adjusted in CKD.

Examples

1. She has stage 3 chronic kidney disease secondary to diabetes.

2. Chronic kidney disease often causes no symptoms until it is advanced.

Usage note

Do not confuse CKD with acute kidney injury (AKI), a sudden drop in kidney function over hours or days.

Common phrases

stage 3 chronic kidney disease · progression of chronic kidney disease · advanced chronic kidney disease · chronic kidney disease clinic

epilepsy

noun

Meaning

A brain condition in which a person tends to have repeated seizures that are not caused by an obvious trigger such as fever or low blood sugar.

Where you use it

Usually diagnosed after two or more unprovoked seizures. Doctors talk about seizure control, antiepileptic drugs, EEG and triggers such as missed doses or lack of sleep. People with epilepsy may face legal rules about driving.

Examples

1. He has had epilepsy since childhood, and it's well controlled on one medication.

2. Her seizures became more frequent after she ran out of her epilepsy tablets.

Usage note

Say 'a person with epilepsy' rather than 'an epileptic'; many patients find the second phrase labelling.

Common phrases

well-controlled epilepsy · diagnosis of epilepsy · epilepsy nurse · have epilepsy

dementia

noun

Meaning

A group of progressive brain conditions that gradually affect memory, thinking, behaviour and the ability to manage daily life.

Where you use it

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type, followed by vascular dementia. Doctors use cognitive tests, talk with relatives, and consider capacity, safety at home and care needs. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing.

Examples

1. Her husband says her memory has been getting worse for two years, so we're assessing her for dementia.

2. Patients with dementia are at higher risk of delirium in hospital.

Common phrases

vascular dementia · early dementia · dementia care · diagnosis of dementia · living with dementia

metastasis

noun

Meaning

The spread of cancer cells from where they first grew to another part of the body; also a new tumor formed in this way.

Where you use it

The plural is metastases, often shortened to 'mets' on the ward: 'liver mets', 'bone mets'. The verb is metastasise and the adjective metastatic: 'metastatic breast cancer'. Finding metastases usually changes the stage and the aims of treatment.

Examples

1. The CT scan shows metastases in the liver and lungs.

2. Bone pain in a patient with prostate cancer may be the first sign of metastasis.

Usage note

Singular metastasis (muh-TAS-tuh-sis), plural metastases (muh-TAS-tuh-seez).

Common phrases

distant metastasis · liver metastases · bone metastases · metastatic disease

comorbidity

noun

Meaning

Another disease or condition that a patient has at the same time as the main problem being treated.

Where you use it

Used in notes, referral letters and research: 'multiple comorbidities', 'significant comorbidity'. Comorbidities affect surgical risk, the choice of drugs and the prognosis. When presenting a patient, doctors say 'Her comorbidities include diabetes and COPD.'

Examples

1. Because of his comorbidities, the surgeons felt he was not fit for a major operation.

2. Depression is a common comorbidity in people with chronic pain.

Common phrases

multiple comorbidities · significant comorbidity · comorbidities include · burden of comorbidity

treatment

noun

Meaning

The care, medicine, surgery or other help given to a patient to cure an illness, control it or ease its symptoms.

Where you use it

A general word used everywhere in medicine. Doctors start, stop, change or continue treatment, and talk about first-line treatment, treatment options and response to treatment. The verb is treat.

Examples

1. She responded well to treatment and was discharged after four days.

2. Let's talk about the treatment options before you decide.

3. Treatment was started without waiting for the culture results.

Common phrases

start treatment · first-line treatment · respond to treatment · treatment options · treatment plan

surgery

noun

Meaning

Treatment in which a doctor cuts into the body to repair, remove or replace something; also the medical specialty that does this.

Where you use it

Patients have or undergo surgery; surgeons perform it. In British English it is usually uncountable ('She needs surgery'), and a single event is 'an operation'. Common types: emergency, elective, keyhole (laparoscopic) and day surgery.

Examples

1. He'll need surgery to fix the fracture.

2. She's recovering well after keyhole surgery on her gallbladder.

Usage note

In British English 'surgery' also means a GP's office and its opening hours: 'the GP surgery', 'morning surgery'. In US English the countable 'a surgery' (an operation) is also common.

Common phrases

have surgery · undergo surgery · emergency surgery · elective surgery · day surgery

follow-up

noun

Meaning

A later appointment or check to see how a patient is doing after treatment, a test result or a hospital stay.

Where you use it

Doctors arrange, book or plan follow-up and write a follow-up plan in discharge letters. As a verb it is two words without a hyphen: 'We'll follow you up in clinic.' In research, patients may be 'lost to follow-up'.

Examples

1. We'll book a follow-up appointment in six weeks to check the scar.

2. Follow-up: repeat bloods in one week and review in clinic.

Usage note

Turkish speakers often say 'I have a control next week'. In English say 'follow-up' or 'check-up'; 'control' means keeping something under control.

Common phrases

follow-up appointment · arrange follow-up · follow-up plan · lost to follow-up · follow-up scan

intravenous

adjective

Meaning

Given directly into a vein, usually through a thin plastic tube called a cannula, as with fluids, antibiotics or pain relief.

Where you use it

Almost always shortened to IV: IV fluids, IV antibiotics, an IV line. The other main route is oral (by mouth, PO). Doctors switch patients from intravenous to oral treatment when they improve.

Examples

1. Start intravenous fluids and recheck her blood pressure in an hour.

2. Once his fever settles, we'll switch the intravenous antibiotics to tablets.

Usage note

Turkish 'serum takmak' is 'put up a drip' (UK) or 'start an IV' (US). In English 'serum' means the liquid part of blood, not a bag of IV fluid.

Common phrases

intravenous fluids · IV antibiotics · IV line · IV access · intravenous injection

stable

adjective

Meaning

Not changing or getting worse, especially when the vital signs and general condition stay within a safe range.

Where you use it

Used in handovers, notes and updates to families: 'She's stable', 'hemodynamically stable', 'stable on the ward'. The opposite is unstable; the verb stabilize means to make a patient stable.

Examples

1. He's been stable overnight, so we can move him to the ward.

2. Once the patient is stable, arrange a CT scan.

Usage note

'Stable' does not always mean 'well'. A patient can be stable but still seriously ill.

Common phrases

clinically stable · hemodynamically stable · stable condition · remain stable

complication

noun

Meaning

A new problem that develops because of an illness or a treatment, making the situation more serious or harder to manage.

Where you use it

Doctors explain the risk of complications when taking consent and watch for them after surgery. Common phrases: 'post-operative complications', 'developed a complication', 'uncomplicated recovery'.

Examples

1. The main complications of this operation are bleeding and infection.

2. Kidney damage is a long-term complication of poorly controlled diabetes.

Common phrases

post-operative complications · risk of complications · develop a complication · serious complication

management

noun

Meaning

In clinical English, the overall plan for dealing with a patient's problem, including tests, treatment, monitoring and follow-up.

Where you use it

Used in notes ('Plan / Management'), guidelines and exam questions: 'What is your management?' The verb manage is common too: 'We'll manage this conservatively', 'managed in the community'.

Examples

1. Initial management of a suspected stroke includes an urgent CT scan of the head.

2. We agreed on conservative management with rest, painkillers and physiotherapy.

Usage note

False friend for Turkish speakers: in medicine 'management' rarely means administration. 'The management of asthma' means how asthma is treated and monitored.

Common phrases

conservative management · initial management · management plan · surgical management · manage conservatively

nil by mouth

phrase

Meaning

An instruction that a patient must not eat or drink anything, usually before surgery or some tests, or when swallowing is unsafe.

Where you use it

A British phrase, written NBM on charts and on signs above the bed. The US equivalent is NPO, from the Latin 'nil per os'. Doctors decide when a patient is kept nil by mouth and when eating and drinking can restart.

Examples

1. Keep him nil by mouth from midnight; he's first on the theatre list.

2. She's nil by mouth until the swallow assessment after her stroke.

Common phrases

keep nil by mouth · nil by mouth from midnight · NBM · NPO

operate

verb

Meaning

To cut into a patient's body in order to repair, remove or examine something as a surgical treatment.

Where you use it

Surgeons 'operate on' a patient or a part of the body: 'operate on her knee'. The noun is operation (informally 'an op'). Decisions are often framed as 'operate' versus 'manage conservatively'. The passive is 'was operated on', not 'was operated'.

Examples

1. The surgeons decided to operate on him that night.

2. She was operated on for a perforated ulcer last year.

Usage note

Turkish speakers often say 'I was operated'. Correct forms are 'I had an operation' or 'I was operated on'.

Common phrases

operate on a patient · decide to operate · operate urgently · be operated on

recovery

noun

Meaning

The process of getting better after an illness, injury or operation; also the area where patients wake up after anesthesia.

Where you use it

Doctors talk about a full, quick, slow or uneventful recovery, and patients ask 'How long will recovery take?'. In hospitals 'recovery' (the recovery room, or PACU in the US) is where patients go straight after theatre. The verb is 'recover from'.

Examples

1. She made a full recovery and went back to work after six weeks.

2. He's still in recovery; the nurses will call when he's back on the ward.

Common phrases

make a full recovery · speedy recovery · recovery time · recovery room · uneventful recovery

monitor

verb

Meaning

To check a patient, a sign or a test result regularly over a period of time to see whether it changes.

Where you use it

Used for vital signs, blood tests and drug levels: 'monitor her blood pressure', 'monitor renal function'. It is also a noun for the machine at the bedside: 'cardiac monitor'. 'Close monitoring' is common in plans and handovers.

Examples

1. We'll monitor his kidney function closely while he's on this drug.

2. Put her on a cardiac monitor and repeat the ECG in an hour.

Common phrases

monitor closely · monitor blood pressure · cardiac monitor · close monitoring · monitor progress

CPR

abbreviation

Meaning

Short for cardiopulmonary resuscitation: chest compressions, usually with rescue breaths, given to keep blood flowing when someone's heart has stopped.

Where you use it

People start, perform, give or do CPR. In hospital the wider word resuscitation is also used, and decisions about it are recorded as 'for CPR' or 'not for CPR' (DNACPR). Basic life support (BLS) and advanced life support (ALS) courses teach it.

Examples

1. A bystander started CPR before the ambulance arrived.

2. After discussion with the family, the team decided that CPR would not be in her best interests.

Common phrases

start CPR · perform CPR · bystander CPR · DNACPR decision · chest compressions

anesthesia

noun

Meaning

The use of drugs to stop a patient feeling pain during a procedure, either by putting them fully to sleep or by numbing one part of the body.

Where you use it

Doctors distinguish general anesthesia (asleep), regional anesthesia such as a spinal or epidural, and local anesthesia. In UK English 'a general anaesthetic' (GA) is a very common phrase. The doctor who gives it is an anesthesiologist (US) or anaesthetist (UK).

Examples

1. The operation will be done under general anesthesia, so you'll be asleep the whole time.

2. We can remove the mole under local anesthesia in the clinic.

Usage note

US: anesthesia, anesthesiologist. UK: anaesthesia, anaesthetist. The Turkish 'narkoz' means general anesthesia only.

Common phrases

general anesthesia · local anesthesia · under anesthesia · spinal anesthesia

catheter

noun

Meaning

A thin, flexible tube put into the body to drain fluid or give treatment, most often one passed into the bladder to drain urine.

Where you use it

On the ward 'catheter' alone usually means a urinary catheter, often a Foley catheter; staff insert, remove and flush it. Other types include central venous and cardiac catheters. Every catheter carries a risk of infection.

Examples

1. He's in urinary retention, so we'll insert a catheter.

2. Can we take her catheter out today? She's mobilising well.

Usage note

Turkish often uses 'sonda' for urinary tubes and 'kateter' for tubes in blood vessels; English uses 'catheter' for both.

Common phrases

urinary catheter · insert a catheter · remove a catheter · central venous catheter · catheter-related infection

chemotherapy

noun

Meaning

Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells or stop them dividing, usually given in cycles with rest periods in between.

Where you use it

Often shortened to 'chemo'. Oncologists talk about cycles, regimens, and adjuvant (after surgery) or neoadjuvant (before surgery) chemotherapy. Common side effects include nausea, hair loss, tiredness and a low white cell count, which raises the risk of infection.

Examples

1. She's halfway through her chemotherapy and coping well.

2. Any patient on chemotherapy who develops a fever needs urgent assessment for neutropenic sepsis.

Common phrases

have chemotherapy · cycle of chemotherapy · adjuvant chemotherapy · chemotherapy regimen · side effects of chemotherapy

palliative care

noun

Meaning

Care that aims to relieve pain and other symptoms and improve quality of life for people with a serious illness that cannot be cured.

Where you use it

Palliative care teams support patients and families with symptoms, emotional needs and planning, in hospital, in hospices or at home. It can start early alongside other treatment and is wider than end-of-life care. Doctors 'refer to' or 'involve' the palliative team.

Examples

1. We've asked the palliative care team to help with her pain and breathlessness.

2. Palliative care is not only for the last days of life.

Usage note

In everyday Turkish 'palyatif' can mean 'a temporary, surface-level fix'. In medicine it describes this complete approach to symptom relief and support.

Common phrases

palliative care team · specialist palliative care · refer to palliative care · palliative care needs

suture

noun

Meaning

A stitch, or the thread used to make stitches, that holds the edges of a wound or surgical cut together while it heals.

Where you use it

Also a verb: 'suture a wound'. Doctors talk about absorbable and non-absorbable sutures and when to remove them. Patients usually say 'stitches'. Alternatives include skin glue and staples.

Examples

1. The cut on his forehead needed six sutures.

2. Your sutures are dissolvable, so they don't need to be taken out.

Common phrases

absorbable sutures · remove sutures · suture a wound · skin sutures

cannula

noun

Meaning

A thin plastic tube placed into a vein, usually in the hand or arm, so that fluids and drugs can be given directly into the blood.

Where you use it

UK doctors say 'put in a cannula' or 'cannulate'; US staff more often say 'an IV' or 'IV line'. Sizes are given by gauge and colour. Junior doctors are often asked to re-site cannulas that have stopped working or 'tissued'.

Examples

1. Can you put a cannula in bed 6? She needs IV antibiotics.

2. The cannula has tissued, so the drip isn't running.

Usage note

The plural is 'cannulas' (common) or 'cannulae' (formal).

Common phrases

insert a cannula · re-site a cannula · large-bore cannula · cannula site

dialysis

noun

Meaning

A treatment that removes waste products and extra fluid from the blood when the kidneys can no longer do this themselves.

Where you use it

The two main types are haemodialysis (US hemodialysis), usually three sessions a week in a unit, and peritoneal dialysis, done at home using the lining of the abdomen. Patients are 'on dialysis'; doctors discuss dialysis access, such as a fistula or line.

Examples

1. He has been on dialysis for three years while he waits for a kidney transplant.

2. Her potassium is dangerously high, so the renal team is arranging urgent dialysis.

Common phrases

on dialysis · start dialysis · dialysis unit · peritoneal dialysis · dialysis session

blood transfusion

noun

Meaning

The giving of donated blood or blood products into a patient's vein, for example after heavy bleeding or for severe anemia.

Where you use it

Doctors give or prescribe a transfusion and talk about units of red cells, platelets and plasma. Before it, a 'group and save' or 'crossmatch' sample is sent. Staff check the patient's identity carefully because transfusion errors can be fatal.

Examples

1. She needed a blood transfusion after losing a lot of blood during the delivery.

2. Some patients decline a blood transfusion for religious reasons, so we discuss alternatives early.

Common phrases

need a blood transfusion · receive a blood transfusion · blood transfusion reaction · consent for blood transfusion

rehabilitation

noun

Meaning

Treatment and support that help a person regain strength, skills and independence after an illness, injury or operation.

Where you use it

Often shortened to 'rehab'. It involves physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and nurses. Examples are stroke, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Note that 'rehab' on its own can also mean treatment for addiction.

Examples

1. After the stroke, he spent six weeks on a rehabilitation ward.

2. Cardiac rehabilitation helps patients return to exercise safely after a heart attack.

Common phrases

stroke rehabilitation · cardiac rehabilitation · rehabilitation ward · inpatient rehabilitation · rehabilitation programme

remission

noun

Meaning

A period when the signs and symptoms of a disease, such as cancer or an inflammatory condition, have reduced or disappeared.

Where you use it

Doctors speak of complete or partial remission and say a patient 'is in remission' or 'went into remission'. It does not always mean cure: the disease can come back (relapse). Used in oncology, haematology, Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Examples

1. After six cycles of chemotherapy, her lymphoma is in complete remission.

2. His Crohn's disease has been in remission for two years.

Common phrases

in remission · complete remission · partial remission · go into remission · achieve remission

deteriorate

verb

Meaning

To become worse, especially when a patient's condition or vital signs get worse over time.

Where you use it

Very common in hospital English: 'the patient is deteriorating', 'a deteriorating patient'. Early warning scores such as NEWS2 help nurses spot deterioration and call a doctor. The opposite is improve; 'stable' means no change.

Examples

1. He deteriorated overnight and was moved to intensive care.

2. Call me straight away if her breathing deteriorates.

Usage note

Do not drop the middle syllable: say and write de-TEER-ee-uh-rate, not 'deteriate'.

Common phrases

rapidly deteriorate · deteriorating patient · clinical deterioration · continue to deteriorate

prescription

noun

Meaning

A doctor's written or electronic instruction saying which medicine a patient should get, how much, how often and for how long.

Where you use it

Doctors write, issue or renew a prescription, and pharmacists dispense it. In US notes it is often written Rx. A 'repeat prescription' (UK) is renewed regularly for long-term medicines.

Examples

1. I'll give you a prescription for a seven-day course of antibiotics.

2. This medicine is only available on prescription.

Usage note

False friend: English 'recipe' is for cooking. A doctor's 'reçete' is always a 'prescription'.

Common phrases

write a prescription · repeat prescription · prescription drugs · on prescription · e-prescription

prescribe

verb

Meaning

To officially decide on and write down a medicine or treatment for a patient, so that they can get it from a pharmacy.

Where you use it

Pattern: prescribe something (for a condition / to a patient). Doctors, and in some countries nurses and pharmacists, can prescribe. The person is the prescriber; prescribing errors are a common topic in hospital safety meetings.

Examples

1. Her GP prescribed antibiotics for a urinary infection.

2. Check the drug chart before you prescribe anything new.

Usage note

Turkish 'ilaç kullanmak' is 'take medication' in English. 'Are you using any drugs?' can sound like a question about illegal drugs; ask 'Are you taking any medication?'

Common phrases

prescribe antibiotics · prescribed dose · prescribing error · prescribe off-label

dose

noun

Meaning

The amount of a medicine taken or given at one time, for example 500 mg, often stated together with how often it is taken.

Where you use it

Doctors increase, reduce, adjust or titrate the dose and check the right dose for weight or kidney function. Phrases like 'loading dose', 'maximum dose' and 'missed dose' are common.

Examples

1. We'll start with a low dose and increase it slowly.

2. The dose needs adjusting because her kidney function has dropped.

Usage note

'Dose' is the amount taken at one time; 'dosage' is the whole plan (amount, frequency and duration). In everyday speech the two are often mixed.

Common phrases

low dose · increase the dose · loading dose · missed dose · dose adjustment

side effect

noun

Meaning

An effect of a medicine or treatment that is not the main one intended, and is often unwanted, such as drowsiness or an upset stomach.

Where you use it

Doctors explain common and serious side effects when prescribing and ask about them at follow-up. Formal reports use 'adverse effect' or 'adverse drug reaction'.

Examples

1. The most common side effects are headache and mild nausea.

2. Have you noticed any side effects since you started the new tablets?

Common phrases

common side effects · serious side effects · experience side effects · side effect profile

antibiotic

noun

Meaning

A medicine that kills bacteria or stops them from growing, used to treat bacterial infections. It does not work against viruses.

Where you use it

Usually plural. Patients are 'on antibiotics'; doctors start, stop, switch or narrow antibiotics, and talk about IV and oral antibiotics, courses and antibiotic resistance.

Examples

1. She's been on IV antibiotics for three days and her fever has settled.

2. This is a viral infection, so antibiotics won't help.

Common phrases

on antibiotics · a course of antibiotics · IV antibiotics · broad-spectrum antibiotics · antibiotic resistance

analgesic

noun

Meaning

A medicine that relieves pain, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or morphine; patients usually call it a painkiller.

Where you use it

Doctors prescribe regular or as-needed analgesics and step up the analgesia when pain is not controlled. The noun analgesia means pain relief in general: 'He needs better analgesia.'

Examples

1. She's been taking simple analgesics, but the pain keeps her awake at night.

2. Make sure he has adequate analgesia before you move him.

Usage note

Doctors write 'analgesic' or 'analgesia', while patients say 'painkiller'. In Turkish both groups simply say 'ağrı kesici'.

Common phrases

simple analgesics · regular analgesia · opioid analgesics · adequate analgesia

contraindication

noun

Meaning

A condition or situation that makes a particular drug, test or procedure unsafe or unsuitable for a patient.

Where you use it

Listed in drug references and checked before prescribing. Doctors speak of absolute and relative contraindications. The adjective form is contraindicated: 'This drug is contraindicated in pregnancy.'

Examples

1. Active bleeding is a contraindication to starting blood thinners.

2. Check for contraindications before you book the MRI, especially pacemakers.

Common phrases

absolute contraindication · relative contraindication · contraindication to · contraindicated in

over-the-counter

adjective

Meaning

Describes medicines that can be bought from a pharmacy or shop without a doctor's prescription, such as some painkillers and cold remedies.

Where you use it

Shortened to OTC. Doctors ask about over-the-counter medicines and herbal products because patients often forget to mention them. It has hyphens before a noun but not after a verb: 'You can buy it over the counter.'

Examples

1. Are you taking any over-the-counter medicines or herbal supplements?

2. Ibuprofen is available over the counter in lower strengths.

Common phrases

over-the-counter medicines · buy over the counter · OTC painkillers · over-the-counter remedies

twice daily

phrase

Meaning

Taken or given two times every day, usually in the morning and evening; one of the standard ways of writing how often a medicine is used.

Where you use it

On prescriptions it is written BD (UK, from Latin 'bis die') or BID (US). Related forms are once daily (OD) and three times daily (TDS or TID).

Examples

1. Take one tablet twice daily with food.

2. Let's increase the metformin to 1 g twice daily.

Usage note

Patients understand 'twice a day' more easily than 'twice daily' or 'BD', so doctors use the simpler form when explaining a prescription.

Common phrases

twice daily with food · once daily · three times daily · twice-daily dosing

course

noun

Meaning

A set number of doses of a medicine, or sessions of treatment, given over a fixed period; also the way an illness develops over time.

Where you use it

Common with antibiotics, steroids and chemotherapy: 'a five-day course', 'complete the course'. In the second meaning doctors talk about the clinical course or the course of the illness.

Examples

1. She's halfway through a seven-day course of antibiotics.

2. His hospital course was complicated by a chest infection.

Usage note

In medicine 'course' usually has nothing to do with lessons or training; it means a period of treatment or the progress of an illness.

Common phrases

a course of antibiotics · complete the course · short course of steroids · clinical course · course of treatment

PRN

abbreviation

Meaning

Short for the Latin 'pro re nata', meaning 'as needed': a medicine given only when the patient needs it, not at fixed times.

Where you use it

Written on drug charts and prescriptions with a maximum dose and a minimum interval: 'paracetamol 1 g PRN, max 4 g in 24 hours'. Nurses give PRN medicines for pain, nausea or agitation.

Examples

1. She's written up for PRN morphine if the pain gets worse.

2. How many PRN doses has he needed overnight?

Usage note

UK drug charts often say 'as required' instead of PRN. Turkish prescriptions use 'l.h.' (lüzumu halinde) for the same idea.

Common phrases

PRN medication · PRN analgesia · written up PRN · as required

stat

adverb

Meaning

Immediately and without delay; used in orders for a medicine, test or review that must happen right now.

Where you use it

From the Latin 'statim'. On drug charts a 'stat dose' is a single dose given at once. In speech it is common in US hospitals ('Get me a CBC, stat!') and is also used informally outside medicine.

Examples

1. Give a stat dose of IV antibiotics and then start the regular regimen.

2. I need a portable chest X-ray, stat.

Usage note

It is not short for 'statistics'. It comes from Latin and is usually written in lowercase.

Common phrases

stat dose · give stat · order stat · stat labs

medication

noun

Meaning

A substance used to treat, prevent or relieve the symptoms of a disease; also the whole set of drugs a patient takes.

Where you use it

A neutral, professional word. Doctors ask 'Are you on any medication?' and 'What medications do you take?', and write a medication list or chart. Doctors also say 'drug', but with patients 'medication' or 'medicine' avoids sounding like illegal drugs.

Examples

1. Can you bring all your medications with you to your next appointment?

2. Her blood pressure is well controlled on her current medication.

Usage note

'Uses drugs' means taking illegal drugs. For the Turkish 'ilaç kullanıyor', say 'takes medication' or 'is on medication'.

Common phrases

be on medication · take medication · medication list · regular medication · stop a medication

tablet

noun

Meaning

A small, solid, usually round piece of medicine that is swallowed; some have a line across them so they can be split in half.

Where you use it

Doctors and pharmacists use patterns such as 'take one tablet twice a day' and give the strength ('a 5 mg tablet'). Related forms are capsules, modified-release tablets and dispersible tablets. In US everyday speech 'pill' is more common.

Examples

1. These tablets should be swallowed whole, not crushed.

2. He finds the tablets hard to swallow, so we'll ask the pharmacy for a liquid form.

Usage note

'The pill', with 'the', usually means the contraceptive pill.

Common phrases

take a tablet · crush a tablet · film-coated tablet · tablet form · sleeping tablets

injection

noun

Meaning

A way of giving a medicine or vaccine through a needle into the body, for example into a muscle, under the skin or into a vein.

Where you use it

Doctors name the route: intramuscular (IM), subcutaneous (SC) or intravenous (IV) injection. Common verbs are give, have and receive an injection. Patients often say 'a jab' (UK) or 'a shot' (US), especially for vaccines.

Examples

1. You'll feel a sharp scratch as I give the injection.

2. The nurse showed him how to give himself the injection in his thigh.

Usage note

'Injection' is the medicine or the act; the device is a 'syringe' and the sharp part is the 'needle'. 'İğne yapmak' is 'give an injection'.

Common phrases

give an injection · intramuscular injection · steroid injection · injection site · have an injection

vaccine

noun

Meaning

A product that teaches the immune system to recognise and fight a particular infection, so that the person is protected before they meet it.

Where you use it

Doctors talk about giving and having vaccines, being up to date with them, booster doses and the childhood vaccination schedule. 'Vaccination' and 'immunisation' (US immunization) describe the process. Patients say 'jab' (UK) or 'shot' (US).

Examples

1. Is your son up to date with his vaccines?

2. The flu vaccine is offered every autumn to people over 65.

Common phrases

flu vaccine · booster vaccine · have a vaccine · vaccine schedule · vaccine uptake

insulin

noun

Meaning

A hormone made by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose; it is also given as a medicine, usually by injection, to people with diabetes.

Where you use it

Doctors talk about types (rapid-acting, long-acting, basal-bolus regimens) and ask patients how they manage their insulin. People with type 1 diabetes always need insulin; some people with type 2 start it later. Patients may use insulin pens or a pump.

Examples

1. He has had type 1 diabetes since childhood and uses an insulin pump.

2. Her blood glucose stayed high on tablets, so she was started on insulin.

Common phrases

start insulin · insulin pen · insulin pump · long-acting insulin · insulin-dependent

drug interaction

noun

Meaning

A change in how a medicine works or how strong it is, caused by another medicine, a food or a drink taken at the same time.

Where you use it

Doctors and pharmacists check for drug interactions, often with a formulary or software, especially in older patients on many medicines. Classic examples involve warfarin, some antibiotics and grapefruit juice. An interaction can make a drug weaker or more toxic.

Examples

1. The pharmacist flagged a drug interaction between the new antibiotic and her warfarin.

2. Polypharmacy increases the risk of a serious drug interaction.

Common phrases

check for drug interactions · serious drug interaction · potential drug interaction · drug-drug interaction

orally

adverb

Meaning

By mouth, so that a medicine is swallowed rather than injected, inhaled or put on the skin.

Where you use it

Used when describing the route: 'given orally', 'oral antibiotics', 'switch from IV to oral'. On prescriptions the Latin abbreviation PO (per os) is common. 'Tolerating orally' means a patient can eat and drink without vomiting.

Examples

1. Once she is eating and drinking, we can give the antibiotics orally.

2. He can't take anything orally at the moment because of his swallowing problem.

Usage note

'Oral' can also mean spoken, as in 'an oral exam'. In medicine the context makes the meaning clear.

Common phrases

take orally · given orally · oral route · tolerating orally

adherence

noun

Meaning

How closely a patient takes their medicines or follows a treatment plan in the way they agreed with their doctor.

Where you use it

Doctors ask about adherence without judging: 'Some people find it hard to take tablets every day. How about you?'. Poor adherence is a common reason why a treatment seems to fail. 'Compliance' is an older word that sounds more like obeying orders.

Examples

1. His blood pressure is high, but his adherence to the tablets has been poor.

2. A weekly pill organiser can improve adherence in older patients.

Usage note

Use 'adherence to', not 'adherence of': 'adherence to treatment'.

Common phrases

medication adherence · poor adherence · improve adherence · adherence to treatment

adverse drug reaction

noun

Meaning

A harmful, unintended effect of a medicine taken in the normal way, ranging from a mild rash to a life-threatening reaction.

Where you use it

Shortened to ADR. Doctors record ADRs in the notes and the allergy section, and in many countries report them to a national system (in the UK, the Yellow Card scheme). It overlaps with 'side effect', but ADR is the formal term and always means harm.

Examples

1. We reported the rash as a suspected adverse drug reaction.

2. Adverse drug reactions are a common cause of hospital admission in older adults.

Common phrases

report an adverse drug reaction · suspected adverse drug reaction · serious adverse drug reaction

opioid

noun

Meaning

A strong painkiller that acts on the same receptors in the body as morphine, such as codeine, morphine or oxycodone.

Where you use it

Doctors talk about weak and strong opioids, their side effects (constipation, nausea, drowsiness, slowed breathing), dependence and the 'opioid crisis'. Many are controlled drugs with special prescribing rules.

Examples

1. She needed opioids for the first few days after surgery.

2. Opioid toxicity should be considered in any drowsy patient with pinpoint pupils.

Usage note

Older texts use 'opiate' for drugs made from the opium poppy; 'opioid' is the wider term used today.

Common phrases

strong opioid · weak opioid · opioid analgesia · opioid toxicity · opioid dependence

anticoagulant

noun

Meaning

A medicine that makes the blood take longer to clot, used to prevent or treat clots in conditions such as atrial fibrillation and DVT.

Where you use it

Examples are warfarin, heparin and the newer DOACs such as apixaban. Patients call them 'blood thinners', although they do not actually thin the blood. Doctors weigh the benefit against the risk of bleeding and always ask about them before procedures.

Examples

1. He's on an anticoagulant for atrial fibrillation, so we need to check before the procedure.

2. Anticoagulation reduces the risk of stroke but increases the risk of bleeding.

Common phrases

start an anticoagulant · oral anticoagulant · on anticoagulants · hold the anticoagulant

inhaler

noun

Meaning

A small hand-held device that delivers medicine as a spray or powder directly into the lungs when the patient breathes in.

Where you use it

Used for asthma and COPD. Doctors separate reliever inhalers (often blue in the UK) from preventer inhalers and check inhaler technique, because poor technique is a common reason for poor control. A spacer helps some patients.

Examples

1. Can you show me how you use your inhaler?

2. She's using her blue inhaler every day, which suggests her asthma isn't well controlled.

Common phrases

reliever inhaler · preventer inhaler · inhaler technique · steroid inhaler · use an inhaler

emergency department

noun

Meaning

The hospital department, open 24 hours a day, that treats people with sudden illness or injury who need urgent care.

Where you use it

Abbreviated ED. In the UK it is also called A&E (accident and emergency); in the US people often say the ER (emergency room). Patients attend, present to or are brought to the emergency department.

Examples

1. She was brought to the emergency department by ambulance after a fall.

2. The emergency department is very busy tonight, so expect delays for admissions.

Usage note

UK: A&E. US: ER or ED. Do not translate 'acil servis' as 'emergency service': in English that usually means the ambulance, police or fire service.

Common phrases

attend the emergency department · emergency department physician · ED triage · emergency department visit

ward

noun

Meaning

A part of a hospital with beds where patients stay overnight or longer, usually for one specialty, such as a surgical or children's ward.

Where you use it

Patients are admitted to, moved to or discharged from a ward. Doctors work 'on the wards', do ward rounds and talk to ward nurses. In the UK a 'bay' is a smaller room inside a ward.

Examples

1. He's been moved from intensive care to the cardiology ward.

2. There are no beds on the medical wards, so she's waiting in the emergency department.

Usage note

Turkish 'servis' in the hospital sense is 'ward' in English. In US hospitals 'service' usually means a specialty team, as in 'the surgical service'.

Common phrases

on the ward · surgical ward · ward round · ward nurse · transfer to the ward

admit

verb

Meaning

To accept a patient into hospital so that they stay in a bed for treatment or observation, usually for at least one night.

Where you use it

Doctors admit a patient 'to hospital' (UK), 'to the hospital' (US) or to a specific ward or team; the noun is admission. 'Hospitalize' is a more American and more formal synonym.

Examples

1. We're going to admit you overnight to keep an eye on your heart.

2. She was admitted under the medical team with a chest infection.

3. This is his third admission this year.

Usage note

In everyday English 'admit' also means to confess ('He admitted his mistake'). The context makes the meaning clear.

Common phrases

admit to hospital · admit under · emergency admission · admission notes · readmission

discharge

verb

Meaning

To officially let a patient leave hospital or a clinic's care because they no longer need it there. As a noun it can also mean fluid that comes out of the body.

Where you use it

Doctors discharge patients home or to another service and write a discharge summary (discharge letter). As a noun the stress moves to the first syllable: DIS-charge. 'Wound discharge' or 'nasal discharge' refers to fluid.

Examples

1. If her bloods are normal tomorrow, we can discharge her home.

2. Please send the discharge summary to his GP today.

3. Is there any discharge from the wound?

Usage note

Context decides the meaning: 'discharge the patient' (taburcu) vs 'a yellow discharge' (akıntı). News reports say 'released from hospital', but clinicians say 'discharged'.

Common phrases

discharge home · discharge summary · fit for discharge · self-discharge · wound discharge

referral

noun

Meaning

The act of sending a patient to another doctor, specialist team or service for an opinion, tests or treatment; also the letter or request that does this.

Where you use it

GPs make referrals to hospital specialists, and hospital teams refer patients to each other. The verb is refer (refer someone to someone): 'I'll refer you to a cardiologist.' In the UK a 'two-week-wait referral' is an urgent cancer referral.

Examples

1. I'm going to make a referral to the neurology clinic.

2. She was referred to the surgeons with suspected gallstones.

Usage note

Spelling trap: refer has one r at the end, but referred, referring and referral have a double r.

Common phrases

make a referral · urgent referral · referral letter · refer to a specialist · accept a referral

outpatient

noun

Meaning

A patient who visits a hospital or clinic for an appointment, test or treatment without staying overnight; also used as an adjective for this kind of care.

Where you use it

The opposite of inpatient (a patient staying on a ward). Common phrases: outpatient clinic, outpatient appointment, managed as an outpatient. In UK hospitals the outpatient department is often just called 'outpatients'.

Examples

1. His pneumonia is mild, so we can treat him as an outpatient.

2. She has an outpatient appointment with the rheumatologist next month.

Usage note

False friend: Turkish 'poliklinik' is usually 'outpatient clinic' or just 'clinic'. 'Polyclinic' exists in English but is rare and usually means a separate health centre.

Common phrases

outpatient clinic · outpatient appointment · as an outpatient · outpatient department · inpatient

intensive care unit

noun

Meaning

A hospital unit with special equipment and highly trained staff for critically ill patients who need close monitoring or organ support, such as a ventilator.

Where you use it

Usually called ICU; British hospitals may say ITU (intensive therapy unit) or 'critical care'. Patients are admitted to, transferred to or stepped down from the intensive care unit.

Examples

1. He was moved to the intensive care unit when his oxygen levels kept falling.

2. Let's ask the intensive care unit team to review her before she deteriorates further.

Common phrases

admit to the intensive care unit · ICU bed · intensive care unit team · step down from ICU

on call

phrase

Meaning

Available to be contacted and to come and help if needed, especially outside normal working hours, such as at night or at weekends.

Where you use it

Doctors are on call, do on-call shifts and call the on-call registrar or on-call surgeon. It takes a hyphen before a noun: 'the on-call team'. Being on call may mean staying in the hospital or being reachable from home.

Examples

1. Who's the surgeon on call tonight?

2. I'm on call this weekend, so I can't come to the dinner.

Usage note

Turkish 'nöbet' is usually 'on call' or 'shift' in English. When 'nöbet' means an attack of illness, the English is 'seizure' or 'fit', so translate with care.

Common phrases

on-call doctor · on-call shift · be on call · on-call rota · call the on-call team

general practitioner

noun

Meaning

A doctor based in the community who treats a wide range of everyday health problems, provides long-term care and refers patients to hospital specialists when needed.

Where you use it

Almost always shortened to GP in the UK, Ireland and Australia; in the US people say 'family doctor', 'family physician' or 'primary care physician' (PCP). Hospital doctors write letters to the GP and ask patients to see their GP.

Examples

1. Her general practitioner referred her because of a lump in her breast.

2. The letter will go to your general practitioner, so they know about the new medicine.

Usage note

In the UK a GP is a specialist in general practice with several years of extra training. Turkish 'pratisyen hekim' (a doctor without specialist training) is not an exact match.

Common phrases

see your GP · GP surgery · GP referral · letter to the GP · GP practice

consultant

noun

Meaning

In the UK and some other countries, a senior hospital doctor who has finished specialist training and has final responsibility for a team's patients.

Where you use it

Patients are admitted 'under' a consultant, whose name appears on their records. Junior doctors escalate concerns to the consultant. The US equivalent is the attending physician, or simply 'attending'.

Examples

1. She's under Dr Patel, the respiratory consultant.

2. I'm going to discuss the scan with my consultant before we decide.

Usage note

False friend: Turkish 'konsültan' usually means a doctor from another department who is asked for an opinion. A UK consultant is the senior doctor in charge; asking another team for an opinion is a 'consult' (US) or a 'referral'.

Common phrases

consultant physician · on-call consultant · admitted under a consultant · consultant-led clinic

resident

noun

Meaning

In the US and Canada, a doctor who has finished medical school and is doing several years of supervised training in a specialty in a hospital.

Where you use it

Residency follows medical school; a first-year resident is often called an intern, and one senior resident may be the chief resident. In the UK the closest terms are resident doctor, junior doctor or registrar.

Examples

1. The surgical resident will see you before the operation.

2. She's a second-year internal medicine resident in Chicago.

Usage note

Turkish 'asistan' is 'resident' in English. An 'assistant' is not a doctor in English, so 'I'm an assistant in cardiology' is misleading.

Common phrases

chief resident · surgical resident · residency program · first-year resident

ward round

noun

Meaning

A regular visit by a team of doctors, often led by a senior doctor, to see each patient on a ward, review progress and make a plan for the day.

Where you use it

A UK term; in the US people say 'rounds' or 'rounding'. Junior doctors present patients on the ward round and write the ward round entry in the notes. Teaching and questions for students often happen here.

Examples

1. The consultant ward round starts at 8:30, so have the bloods ready.

2. We discussed her discharge on the ward round this morning.

Usage note

Turkish 'vizit', from French, is not used in English. Say 'ward round' (UK) or 'rounds' (US); a 'visit' is what family members make.

Common phrases

consultant ward round · on the ward round · post-take ward round · ward round notes

handover

noun

Meaning

The passing of information and responsibility for patients from one doctor or team to the next, usually when a shift changes.

Where you use it

A key moment for patient safety: doctors give and receive handover, often with structured tools such as SBAR. The verb is two words: 'I'll hand over the sick patients first.' The US term is handoff.

Examples

1. Evening handover is at 8 pm in the doctors' room.

2. At handover she mentioned that bed 12 might need a CT overnight.

Common phrases

give handover · morning handover · handover sheet · structured handover · hand over to

triage

noun

Meaning

The process of quickly assessing patients to decide who needs treatment first, based on how serious their condition is.

Where you use it

Done by trained nurses or doctors in emergency departments, by phone and at major incidents. Patients are sorted into categories or colours. It is also a verb: 'She was triaged as urgent.'

Examples

1. At triage his oxygen saturation was 88%, so he was seen immediately.

2. The triage nurse sent her straight to the resus area.

Usage note

It comes from French and is pronounced TREE-ahzh; the 'g' sounds like the 's' in 'measure'.

Common phrases

triage nurse · triage category · telephone triage · triaged as urgent

operating theatre

noun

Meaning

A specially equipped, very clean room in a hospital where surgical operations are carried out.

Where you use it

A British term, often shortened to 'theatre': 'She's in theatre', 'take him to theatre'. Staff talk about theatre lists, theatre nurses and theatre time. The US term is operating room (OR).

Examples

1. He's been in the operating theatre for four hours.

2. The emergency operating theatre is free, so we can take her now.

Usage note

In this sense 'theatre' has nothing to do with plays. US English normally says 'operating room' or 'OR' instead.

Common phrases

in theatre · take to theatre · theatre list · operating room · return to theatre

inpatient

noun

Meaning

A patient who stays in hospital for at least one night while they are tested or treated.

Where you use it

The opposite of outpatient. Used as a noun and as an adjective: 'inpatient bed', 'inpatient care', 'inpatient stay'. Doctors say a patient 'needs to be managed as an inpatient' when it is not safe to send them home.

Examples

1. He was an inpatient for ten days after his hip operation.

2. We don't have any inpatient beds, so she'll have to wait in the emergency department.

Common phrases

inpatient bed · inpatient care · inpatient stay · inpatient ward · as an inpatient

specialist

noun

Meaning

A doctor who has trained for several more years in one area of medicine, such as cardiology, neurology or orthopaedics.

Where you use it

General practitioners refer patients to a specialist. Doctors say 'specialist opinion', 'specialist nurse' and 'specialist clinic'. In the UK the senior specialist in charge is called a consultant; in the US, an attending.

Examples

1. Your GP will refer you to a specialist for further tests.

2. We'd like a specialist opinion from the renal team before discharge.

Common phrases

see a specialist · refer to a specialist · specialist opinion · specialist nurse · heart specialist

appointment

noun

Meaning

An arranged time to see a doctor, nurse or other health worker, for example at a clinic or a GP practice.

Where you use it

Patients book, cancel and miss appointments. Clinics talk about follow-up appointments, missed appointments ('did not attend', DNA) and waiting times. Doctors end with 'I'll see you at your next appointment.'

Examples

1. I'd like to book an appointment with Dr Patel, please.

2. He has missed his last two clinic appointments.

Usage note

'Randevu almak' is 'make an appointment' or 'book an appointment', not 'take an appointment'.

Common phrases

book an appointment · follow-up appointment · miss an appointment · cancel an appointment · outpatient appointment

surgeon

noun

Meaning

A doctor who is trained to treat diseases and injuries by operating on patients.

Where you use it

Named by specialty: general, orthopaedic, cardiac, plastic or vascular surgeon. Surgeons operate, do ward rounds and see patients in clinic. In the UK a surgeon is traditionally addressed as 'Mr' or 'Ms', not 'Dr'.

Examples

1. The surgeon explained the risks of the operation before she signed the consent form.

2. I'm going to ask the on-call surgeon to have a look at your tummy.

Common phrases

general surgeon · orthopaedic surgeon · consultant surgeon · on-call surgeon · operating surgeon

clinic

noun

Meaning

A session or place where outpatients are seen by appointment, usually by doctors from one specialty, without staying in hospital.

Where you use it

Doctors say 'I'm in clinic this afternoon', 'see her in clinic' and 'clinic letter'. Clinics are named by specialty or purpose: diabetes clinic, fracture clinic, antenatal clinic. A private clinic can also be a small medical centre.

Examples

1. We'll see you in clinic in six weeks with the results.

2. The diabetes clinic runs every Tuesday morning.

Usage note

False friend: in Turkish hospitals 'klinik' often means an inpatient department (Dahiliye Kliniği). In English 'clinic' is for outpatients; use 'department' or 'ward' for the inpatient side.

Common phrases

outpatient clinic · in clinic · clinic letter · fracture clinic · clinic appointment

multidisciplinary team

noun

Meaning

A group of professionals from different fields, such as doctors, nurses and therapists, who plan a patient's care together.

Where you use it

Shortened to MDT. Cancer cases are discussed at a weekly MDT meeting (in the US a 'tumor board'). On the wards, the MDT includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists and social workers, especially for discharge planning.

Examples

1. Her case will be discussed at the multidisciplinary team meeting on Thursday.

2. The multidisciplinary team agreed that he needs more physiotherapy before discharge.

Common phrases

multidisciplinary team meeting · discuss at the multidisciplinary team · multidisciplinary team approach

discharge summary

noun

Meaning

A document written when a patient leaves hospital that explains the diagnosis, treatment, medicines and follow-up plan for the GP and the patient.

Where you use it

Usually written by junior doctors and sent electronically to the GP. A good discharge summary lists medication changes and clear actions, such as 'GP to repeat bloods in two weeks'. It may also be called a discharge letter.

Examples

1. Can you finish the discharge summary so the patient can go home before lunch?

2. The discharge summary didn't mention that his warfarin had been stopped.

Usage note

The Turkish 'epikriz' is the closest equivalent, but 'epicrisis' is almost never used in English.

Common phrases

write a discharge summary · electronic discharge summary · send the discharge summary · discharge summary to the GP

junior doctor

noun

Meaning

In the UK, any qualified doctor who is not yet a consultant or GP, from first-year doctors to senior trainees.

Where you use it

A broad, informal UK term; the NHS now increasingly says 'resident doctor'. The group includes foundation doctors (FY1, FY2), core trainees and specialty registrars. In the US the closest equivalents are interns and residents.

Examples

1. At night, two junior doctors cover more than forty patients on the surgical wards.

2. As a junior doctor, never be afraid to ask a senior colleague for help.

Usage note

'Junior' refers to the training grade, not to age or skill; some junior doctors have ten years of experience.

Common phrases

junior doctors' rota · junior doctor training · on-call junior doctor · first-year junior doctor

primary care

noun

Meaning

The first point of contact with health services in the community, mainly general practitioners, practice nurses and community pharmacists.

Where you use it

Contrasted with secondary care (hospital specialists) and tertiary care (highly specialised centres). Doctors say a problem 'can be managed in primary care' or will be 'followed up in primary care'.

Examples

1. Most patients with high blood pressure are managed in primary care.

2. She works in primary care as a GP in a busy city practice.

Usage note

In the US, a family doctor is often called a 'primary care physician' (PCP).

Common phrases

in primary care · primary care physician · primary care services · managed in primary care

reassure

verb

Meaning

To say or do something that makes a worried patient or relative feel calmer and less afraid, usually by explaining that a problem is not serious.

Where you use it

Common in consultations and notes: 'Patient reassured and discharged.' The noun is reassurance, and 'reassuring' describes good results: 'The scan is reassuring.' Doctors avoid false reassurance when the outcome is uncertain.

Examples

1. I want to reassure you that this kind of headache is very common and usually harmless.

2. Her ECG was normal, which was reassuring.

Usage note

Do not confuse 'reassure' (calm someone's worries) with 'ensure' (make certain) or 'assure' (tell someone firmly that something is true).

Common phrases

reassure the patient · reassuring results · offer reassurance · false reassurance

informed consent

noun

Meaning

A patient's agreement to a treatment or procedure, given after the doctor has explained what it involves, its benefits, its risks and the alternatives.

Where you use it

Needed before surgery, many procedures and research. Doctors obtain, take or get consent, and the patient signs a consent form. Consent can be written, verbal or implied, and the patient must have the capacity to give it.

Examples

1. Have you got informed consent for the endoscopy yet?

2. The surgeon explained the risks of bleeding and infection before taking informed consent.

Common phrases

obtain informed consent · consent form · sign the consent form · verbal consent · capacity to consent

break bad news

phrase

Meaning

To tell a patient or family difficult information, such as a serious diagnosis or a death, in a careful, honest and kind way.

Where you use it

A core communication skill, taught with frameworks such as SPIKES and tested in OSCEs. Doctors find a quiet room, check what the person already knows, give a 'warning shot' and allow silence.

Examples

1. I've never had to break bad news on my own before. Can you come with me?

2. Breaking bad news well takes time, so hand your bleep to a colleague first.

Common phrases

break bad news to · breaking bad news · SPIKES protocol · warning shot

next of kin

noun

Meaning

The person a patient names as their closest relative or contact, whom the hospital will call in an emergency.

Where you use it

Recorded in admission paperwork, and written NOK in notes. Staff contact or inform the next of kin. In some countries the next of kin does not automatically have the right to make medical decisions for an adult patient.

Examples

1. Who should we put down as your next of kin?

2. The next of kin has been informed and is on the way.

Usage note

The form is the same in the singular and plural: 'Her next of kin is her son'; 'His next of kin have been told.'

Common phrases

inform the next of kin · next of kin details · listed as next of kin · NOK

confidentiality

noun

Meaning

The duty of doctors and other staff to keep information about patients private and to share it only when this is allowed or necessary.

Where you use it

A core principle of medical ethics and law, with a few legal exceptions. Doctors maintain or breach confidentiality, and need to take care when discussing patients in lifts, corridors or on social media.

Examples

1. I can't discuss his results with you without his permission; it's a matter of confidentiality.

2. Posting photos from the ward is a clear breach of confidentiality.

Common phrases

patient confidentiality · breach of confidentiality · maintain confidentiality · duty of confidentiality

lay terms

noun

Meaning

Everyday words that people without medical training understand, used instead of technical vocabulary when talking to patients.

Where you use it

Usually in the phrase 'in lay terms': 'Can you explain that in lay terms?' Related phrases are 'layperson', 'lay audience' and 'plain English'. Communication skills teaching stresses avoiding jargon.

Examples

1. In lay terms, a myocardial infarction is a heart attack.

2. Try to explain the procedure in lay terms; she looked confused.

Usage note

'Lay' here means 'not professional'. You may also hear 'layman's terms', though many people now prefer the gender-neutral 'lay terms'.

Common phrases

in lay terms · layperson · lay summary · plain English

bedside manner

noun

Meaning

The way a doctor behaves and talks with patients, especially how kind, calm and reassuring they are.

Where you use it

Used in praise or criticism: 'She has a lovely bedside manner', 'His bedside manner needs work.' It is about communication style, not medical knowledge.

Examples

1. Patients love Dr Kaya: she has a wonderful bedside manner.

2. He's an excellent surgeon, but his bedside manner is a bit cold.

Usage note

It is not only about being at the bedside: the phrase applies to clinics, phone calls and video consultations too.

Common phrases

good bedside manner · poor bedside manner · a reassuring bedside manner

empathy

noun

Meaning

The ability to understand how another person feels and to show them that you understand.

Where you use it

A key skill in consultations and OSCE mark schemes. Doctors show empathy with short statements such as 'That must have been very frightening' or 'I can see this is worrying you', and by pausing to listen. Sympathy, feeling sorry for someone, is not the same.

Examples

1. She handled the difficult conversation with real empathy.

2. Showing empathy doesn't mean agreeing with everything the patient says.

Common phrases

show empathy · express empathy · empathy statement · lack of empathy

open question

noun

Meaning

A question that cannot be answered with a simple yes or no and invites the patient to explain in their own words.

Where you use it

Doctors start a consultation with open questions such as 'What brings you in today?' or 'Tell me more about the pain', then narrow down with closed questions. Communication skills courses call this the 'open-to-closed cone'.

Examples

1. Start with an open question and let the patient talk for the first minute.

2. 'How have things been since the operation?' is a good open question.

Common phrases

ask an open question · use open questions · open-ended question · start with an open question

closed question

noun

Meaning

A question that can be answered with yes, no or a single fact, used to check specific details quickly.

Where you use it

Useful after open questions, in the review of systems and in emergencies: 'Do you have any chest pain now?', 'Are you allergic to anything?'. Too many closed questions early in a consultation can make patients feel rushed and hide important information.

Examples

1. In an emergency, closed questions get you the key facts quickly.

2. After listening to her story, he used a few closed questions to check for red flags.

Common phrases

ask a closed question · use closed questions · a series of closed questions

second opinion

noun

Meaning

A review of a diagnosis or treatment plan by another doctor, usually requested by a patient before an important decision.

Where you use it

Patients ask for, want or get a second opinion, often before major surgery or cancer treatment. Good doctors respond calmly and help to arrange it. Colleagues also ask each other for a second opinion on an X-ray or an ECG.

Examples

1. Before agreeing to the operation, she asked for a second opinion.

2. Could you give me a second opinion on this ECG? I'm not sure about the ST segments.

Common phrases

ask for a second opinion · get a second opinion · seek a second opinion · offer a second opinion

interpreter

noun

Meaning

A trained person who translates spoken language, or sign language, between a patient and health staff during a consultation.

Where you use it

Hospitals use professional interpreters in person, by phone or by video. Guidelines advise against using family members, especially children, for important conversations such as consent or bad news. Doctors speak directly to the patient, not to the interpreter.

Examples

1. Mr Yilmaz speaks very little English, so I've booked a Turkish interpreter for 10 o'clock.

2. We used a telephone interpreter to take the history.

Usage note

An interpreter works with speech; a translator works with written text. Turkish 'tercüman' can mean both.

Common phrases

professional interpreter · book an interpreter · telephone interpreter · through an interpreter · sign language interpreter

capacity

noun

Meaning

A patient's ability to understand, remember and weigh up information about a decision and to communicate their choice.

Where you use it

Doctors assess capacity for a specific decision at a specific time, for example consent to surgery. In England and Wales this follows the Mental Capacity Act 2005. A person is assumed to have capacity unless shown otherwise, and an unwise decision alone does not mean they lack it.

Examples

1. He lacks capacity to make this decision because of his delirium, so we'll act in his best interests.

2. She has capacity and has decided to refuse the operation.

Usage note

In this sense 'capacity' is about decision-making, not physical strength or how many beds a hospital has ('bed capacity').

Common phrases

assess capacity · lack capacity · have capacity · capacity assessment · in their best interests