MEDICAL SPECIALTY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does medical specialty mean? 

• MEDICAL SPECIALTY (noun)
  The noun MEDICAL SPECIALTY has 1 sense:

1. the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

  Familiarity information: MEDICAL SPECIALTY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MEDICAL SPECIALTY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

medical specialty; medicine

Hypernyms ("medical specialty" is a kind of...):

medical science (the science of dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention and treatment of disease)

Domain member category:

emergency procedure ((medicine) a procedure adopted to meet an emergency (especially a medical emergency))

infusion ((medicine) the passive introduction of a substance (a fluid or drug or electrolyte) into a vein or between tissues (as by gravitational force))

medicine; practice of medicine (the learned profession that is mastered by graduate training in a medical school and that is devoted to preventing or alleviating or curing diseases and injuries)

uranalysis; urinalysis ((medicine) the chemical analysis of urine (for medical diagnosis))

scatology ((medicine) the chemical analysis of excrement (for medical diagnosis or for paleontological purposes))

therapy ((medicine) the act of caring for someone (as by medication or remedial training etc.))

irrigation ((medicine) cleaning a wound or body organ by flushing or washing out with water or a medicated solution)

bloodletting (formerly used as a treatment to reduce excess blood (one of the four humors of medieval medicine))

actinotherapy; irradiation; radiation; radiation therapy; radiotherapy ((medicine) the treatment of disease (especially cancer) by exposure to a radioactive substance)

imaging; tomography ((medicine) obtaining pictures of the interior of the body)

venipuncture ((medicine) puncture of a vein through the skin in order to withdraw blood for analysis or to start an intravenous drip or to inject medication or a radiopaque dye)

monster; teras ((medicine) a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus)

gauze; gauze bandage ((medicine) bleached cotton cloth of plain weave used for bandages and dressings)

medicament; medication; medicinal drug; medicine ((medicine) something that treats or prevents or alleviates the symptoms of disease)

balm; ointment; salve; unction; unguent (semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation)

percussor; plessor; plexor ((medicine) a small hammer with a rubber head used in percussive examinations of the chest and in testing reflexes)

truss ((medicine) a bandage consisting of a pad and belt; worn to hold a hernia in place by pressure)

achromia (an absence of normal pigmentation especially in the skin (as in albinism) or in red blood cells)

succedaneum ((medicine) something that can be used as a substitute (especially any medicine that may be taken in place of another))

regime; regimen ((medicine) a systematic plan for therapy (often including diet))

germ theory ((medicine) the theory that all contagious diseases are caused by microorganisms)

indication ((medicine) a reason to prescribe a drug or perform a procedure)

contraindication ((medicine) a reason that makes it inadvisable to prescribe a particular drug or employ a particular procedure or treatment)

invasion ((pathology) the spread of pathogenic microorganisms or malignant cells to new sites in the body)

carrier; immune carrier ((medicine) a person (or animal) who has some pathogen to which he is immune but who can pass it on to others)

clinician (a practitioner (of medicine or psychology) who does clinical work instead of laboratory experiments)

donor ((medicine) someone who gives blood or tissue or an organ to be used in another person (the host))

host ((medicine) recipient of transplanted tissue or organ from a donor)

rejection ((medicine) an immunological response that refuses to accept substances or organisms that are recognized as foreign)

license fee; license tax; licensing fee (a fee paid to the government for the privilege of being licensed to do something (as selling liquor or practicing medicine))

chelation ((medicine) the process of removing a heavy metal from the bloodstream by means of a chelate as in treating lead or mercury poisoning)

festering; maturation; suppuration ((medicine) the formation of morbific matter in an abscess or a vesicle and the discharge of pus)

infection ((medicine) the invasion of the body by pathogenic microorganisms and their multiplication which can lead to tissue damage and disease)

insufflation ((medicine) blowing air or medicated powder into the lungs (or into some other body cavity))

potentiation ((medicine) the synergistic effect of two drugs given simultaneously)

zymosis ((medicine) the development and spread of an infectious disease (especially one caused by a fungus))

reserve ((medicine) potential capacity to respond in order to maintain vital functions)

curvature ((medicine) a curving or bending; often abnormal)

malignance; malignancy ((medicine) a malignant state; progressive and resistant to treatment and tending to cause death)

symptom ((medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease)

sign ((medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease)

immunity; resistance ((medicine) the condition in which an organism can resist disease)

disfunction; dysfunction ((medicine) any disturbance in the functioning of an organ or body part or a disturbance in the functioning of a social group)

low-level radioactive waste ((medicine) radioactive waste consisting of objects that have been briefly exposed to radioactivity (as in certain medical tests))

snake oil ((medicine) any of various liquids sold as medicine (as by a travelling medicine show) but medically worthless)

prescribe ((medicine) order the use of (a treatment, medicine, etc.), usually by written prescription)

tolerate (have a tolerance for a poison or strong drug or pathogen or environmental condition)

autopsy (perform an autopsy on a dead body; do a post-mortem)

auscultate (examine by auscultation)

visualise; visualize (view the outline of by means of an X-ray)

acute (having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course)

chronic (being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering)

fulgurating (sharp and piercing)

specific (being or affecting a disease produced by a particular microorganism or condition; used also of stains or dyes used in making microscope slides)

nonspecific (not caused by a specific agent; used also of staining in making microscope slides)

algid (chilly)

invasive (relating to a technique in which the body is entered by puncture or incision)

noninvasive (relating to a technique that does not involve puncturing the skin or entering a body cavity)

corroborant (used of a medicine that is strengthening)

local (affecting only a restricted part or area of the body)

localised; localized (confined or restricted to a particular location)

topical (pertaining to the surface of a body part)

general (affecting the entire body)

epidemic ((especially of medicine) of disease or anything resembling a disease; attacking or affecting many individuals in a community or a population simultaneously)

vicarious (occurring in an abnormal part of the body instead of the usual site involved in that function)

palpable ((medicine) can be felt by palpation)

confirming; positive (indicating existence or presence of a suspected condition or pathogen)

disconfirming; negative (not indicating the presence of microorganisms or disease or a specific condition)

psychotic (characteristic of or suffering from psychosis)

iatrogenic (induced by a physician's words or therapy (used especially of a complication resulting from treatment))

self-limited (relating to a disease that tends to run a definite course without treatment)

clonic (of or relating to abnormal neuromuscular activity characterized by rapidly alternating muscle contraction and relaxation)

neurotropic ((of a virus, toxin, or chemical) tending to attack or affect the nervous system preferentially)

catatonic (characterized by catatonia especially either rigidity or extreme laxness of limbs)

parenteral (administered by means other than through the alimentary tract (as by intramuscular or intravenous injection))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "medical specialty"):

proctology (the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the colon or rectum or anus)

neuropsychiatry (the branch of medicine dealing with mental disorders attributable to diseases of the nervous system)

diagnostics; nosology (the branch of medical science dealing with the classification of disease)

midwifery; OB; obstetrics; tocology (the branch of medicine dealing with childbirth and care of the mother)

oncology (the branch of medicine concerned with the study and treatment of tumors)

ophthalmology (the branch of medicine concerned with the eye and its diseases)

otology (the branch of medicine concerned with the ear)

materia medica; pharmacological medicine; pharmacology (the science or study of drugs: their preparation and properties and uses and effects)

pharmaceutics; pharmacy (the art and science of preparing and dispensing drugs and medicines,)

psychiatry; psychological medicine; psychopathology (the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders)

paediatrics; pediatric medicine; pediatrics; pedology (the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of infants and children)

chiropody; podiatry (the branch of medicine concerned with the feet)

clinical neurology; neurology ((neurology) the branch of medicine that deals with the nervous system and its disorders)

rheumatology (the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of pathologies of the muscles or tendons or joints)

otolaryngology; otorhinolaryngology; rhinolaryngology (the medical specialty that deals with diseases of the ear, nose and throat)

space medicine (the branch of medicine concerned with the effects of space flight on human beings)

sports medicine (the branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of injuries or illness resulting from athletic activities)

therapeutics (branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of disease)

thoracic medicine (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the chest)

accident surgery; traumatology (the branch of medicine that deals with the surgical repair of injuries and wounds arising from accidents)

tropical medicine (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases that are found most often in tropical regions)

urogenital medicine; urology (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the urinary tract or urogenital system)

veterinary medicine (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and injuries of animals (especially domestic animals))

virology (the branch of medical science that studies viruses and viral diseases)

epidemiology (the branch of medical science dealing with the transmission and control of disease)

anesthesiology (the branch of medical science that studies and applies anesthetics)

angiology (the branch of medical science that studies the blood and lymph vessels and their disorders)

bacteriology (the branch of medical science that studies bacteria in relation to disease)

biomedicine (the branch of medical science that studies the ability of organisms to withstand environmental stress (as in space travel))

biomedicine (the branch of medical science that applies biological and physiological principles to clinical practice)

cardiology (the branch of medicine dealing with the heart and its diseases)

dental medicine; dentistry; odontology (the branch of medicine dealing with the anatomy and development and diseases of the teeth)

prosthetics (the branch of medicine dealing with the production and use of artificial body parts)

dermatology (the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases)

emergency medicine (the branch of medicine concerned with the prompt diagnosis and treatment of injuries or trauma or sudden illness)

endocrinology (the branch of medicine dealing with the endocrine glands and their secretions)

allergology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and treatment of allergies)

forensic medicine; forensic pathology (the branch of medical science that uses medical knowledge for legal purposes)

gastroenterology (the branch of medicine that studies the gastrointestinal tract and its diseases)

geriatrics; gerontology (the branch of medical science that deals with diseases and problems specific to old people)

gynaecology; gynecology (the branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and hygiene of women)

haematology; hematology (the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs)

hygiene; hygienics (the science concerned with the prevention of illness and maintenance of health)

immunology (the branch of medical science that studies the body's immune system)

general medicine; internal medicine (the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and (nonsurgical) treatment of diseases of the internal organs (especially in adults))

nephrology (the branch of medicine concerned with the kidney - its development and anatomy and physiology and disorders)

nuclear medicine (the branch of medicine that uses radioactive materials either to image a patient's body or to destroy diseased cells)

 Context examples 

A medical specialty concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.

(Otolaryngology, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis of diseases of the internal organs and non-surgical treatments.

(Internal Medicine, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty concerned with the structure and function of the eye and the medical and surgical treatment of its defects and diseases.

(Ophthalmology, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty concerned with the study of the structures, functions, and diseases of the nervous system.

(Neurology, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A medical specialty concerned with the female reproductive organs in their pregnant and non-pregnant states.

(Obstetrics and gynecology, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty that focuses on diseases and disorders of the blood and blood-forming tissues in children.

(Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, NCI Thesaurus)

The medical specialty that focuses on tumors in children.

(Pediatric Oncology, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty focused on restoring functional ability and quality of life to people with physical impairments or disabilities.

(Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, NCI Thesaurus)

The medical specialty that focuses on clinical aspects of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancers.

(Clinical Oncology, NCI Thesaurus)

A medical specialty concerned with the skin, its structure, functions, diseases, and treatment.

(Dermatology, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)