Course Syllabus

Fall 2025 | AHS-1205-VO02 - Medical Terminology

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

James Baraw
View Faculty Credentials

Hiring Coordinator for this course: Danielle Lafleur Brooks

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course encompasses the development and use of medical vocabulary. Students learn medical terms and abbreviations to name diseases and disorders, diagnostics, and surgical procedures in the context of body systems and related health professions. Students use prefixes, word roots, combining forms, and suffixes to interpret the meaning of medical terms with the goal of reducing errors.

Essential Objectives

1. Demonstrate the use of word roots, combining forms, prefixes, and suffixes that form most medical terms.
2. Define, spell, pronounce, and employ a fundamental vocabulary of medical terms.
3. Translate medical terminology from word/terms to abbreviations and from abbreviations to word/terms.
4. Relate appropriate medical terms to structures and functions of the human body and related body systems (e.g. musculoskeletal, immune, endocrine, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and digestive).
5. Identify and define medical terms related to diseases and disorders.
6. Identify and define medical terms related to diagnostic and surgical procedures.
7. Research the current use of terminology and abbreviations.
8. Use medical terms and abbreviations in context.
9. Demonstrate appropriate use of a medical dictionary and reliable online sources and cite references in APA format.
10. Explain how data and quantitative reasoning are used in healthcare professions.
11. Identify biases in healthcare, including discrimination, implicit bias, and systemic racism, and the impact they have on the health outcomes of individuals and groups.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Fall 2025 textbook details will be available on 2025-05-19. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

AHS-1205-VO02 Link to Textbooks for this course in eCampus.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Artificial Intelligence(AI) Policy Statement

CCV recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools are widely available and becoming embedded in many online writing and creative applications.

Allowed: This course's generative AI policy acknowledges technology, including generative AI, plays a supportive role in learning and feedback. During our class, we may use AI writing tools such as ChatGPT in certain specific cases. You will be informed as to when, where, and how these tools are permitted to be used, along with guidance for attribution. Any use outside of these specific cases constitutes a violation of CCV's Academic Integrity Policy.

Note on the use of artificial intelligence (AI): If AI is used for brainstorming, organizing/outlining your ideas, or as an informational source for your answer to the Apply New Learning section of the initial post or your Response Post, it must be cited in APA format. AI may NOT be used to write your initial post or response post. See the VSCS Library’s pageLinks to an external site. on citing AI.

Methods

Textbook

Exploring Medical Language, 11th edition will be our textbook and the foundation of our learning together. The learning system incorporates repetition as a way to support the memorization of the word parts used to understand medical terms, whole medical terms, and medical abbreviations. If writing new information by hand is helpful for you, please, consider acquiring a paper copy of the textbook so that you may complete chapter exercises on the pages of the book as a way to support your learning. Many students in the past have indicated that they intend to keep the book as a resource to use as they continue their studies and venture into the medical field.Also, please note that students are expected to use the companion website, Evolve, to practice pronunciation and spelling.

Learning Activities

• Reading
• Textbook Exercises
• Pronunciation, Spelling, and Learning Activities on Evolve Website
• Writing and Reading Discussion Posts
• Presentation of a Health Care Professional Interview, Case Study, and Web Report
• Journal Entries
• Practice Quizzes and Exams
• Graded Quizzes and Exams

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

1. To be actively engaged on our course site as you are, meaning authentically you with your experiences and skills and reflective of where you are on your academic journey - PERFECTION NOT REQUIRED.
2. To thoroughly participate in chapter content discussions with an initial post addressing the discussion assignment AND responding to another student using informal research with source citations.
3. Your classwork is to be thorough, honest, and reflective of your learning process. I am not looking for perfection, but for academic progress over time. Making mistakes (and correcting them) is an essential part of learning.
4. Most importantly, effort and attention toward meeting the goals of this course along with clear and honest communication with the class and with the instructor.

Missing & Late Work Policy

1. All assigned work is expected to be submitted on time, even when you are absent.
2. You are responsible for checking our course site in Canvas to schedule your time so you may optimally engage in our class and meet assignment due dates. Please, reach out if anything is unclear.
3. When life serves up an unexpected obstacle, you are responsible for communicating with the instructor explaining what you are navigating and how you plan to meet your academic responsibilities.
4. Late work is accepted for partial credit with permission from the instructor.
5. Late work is to be approved by the instructor and must be completed before the last week of class and within a reasonable timeframe, considering the time it was due and the amount of time it takes to grade.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.