Changing Trend of the Medical Terms

Kim, Hyoung Kyu

Abstract

To revise the medical terms, the Korean medical association(KMA) organized the committee for medical terms(CMT). CMT has worked for translation of medical terms into Korean, more easy to understand, more meaningful, and good to pronounce. Medical terms appearing in the 3rd and 2nd editions of termonology books were evaluated by board members of the committee, who have special interest in medical terms and are expert terminologists. Modern medical terms in foreign language are not easy to understand not only by doctors but also by medical students. Thus regular translation of foreign language terms into Korean terms in necessary. The medical terms, especially in the field of internal medicine, are built up on the backbone of basic sience and basic medical terms. Fortunately, the Association of Korean Anatomy published a terminology book of anatomy in Korean language. It prompted other medical societies to translate medical terms into Korean language. The field of internal medicine has been recently divided into several subspecialilies in Korea such as gastro-intestinology, cardiology, pulmonology, nephrology, endocrinology, hemato-oncology, reheumatogy, allergy, and infectious disease. Some subspecial societies have there own terminology books. This raised some problems, because the translation yielded somewhat different meanings even in the same terms in the terminology books. Therefore, CMT organized and conducted concensus meeting to discuss the different points of the same terms. The topics of education by CMT included the way to translate foreign terms, the criteria of beautiful language, and the root of medical terms.