Title: Basic Medical Sciences
Course: EMS 1119 Emergency Medical Technician > Section: Module II Anatomy and Physiology

Modules 2, 3, and 4 introduce the EMT to basic medical sciences. For many students, this will be the first formal presentation of material related to anatomy and physiology. Often students ask: Why do I need to know this? Simply stated, an understanding of normal structure and function of the human body is fundamental to any study in the medical field. At first, it may seem overwhelming, however do not be intimidated by the large amount of information and new, perhaps unfamiliar terms. You don't have to learn it all at once. With each section or unit going forward, you will have an opportunity to review the related body systems and function as it applies to the injury or illness you are studying. By the end of the course, you will have a command of this material.

So to begin, anatomy is the study of structure; physiology is the study of how thing work and finally, pathophysiology is the study of the disease or injury process. Having a basic understanding of body systems will allow you to better understand why patients present with certain signs and symptoms. It will allow you to better recognize emergency conditions, apply the appropriate treatment and provide overall better patient care.

Also, you will be introduced to a whole new language, the language of medicine, medical terminology. It makes communication more efficient and removes ambiguity when describing an illness or injury. As an example "the patient has a bluish skin color" is better stated as the patient is "cyanotic" or the patient is having trouble breathing when lying down (orthropnea) -- see, less words, more efficient! Pay special attention to the terms that are used to describe location and position. Terms such as distal, proximal, medial, lateral, anterior and posterior are frequently used to describe injuries in your medical documentation. You will find anatomical charts will be helpful in memorizing these terms.

Again, don't be overwhelmed by the amount of information. Learn the basics now, and as you progress through the course, you will learn the information in greater depth.