Medicine
Overview
Medicine is a field of science and practice that pertains to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases. The field encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness in human beings.
History
The history of medicine shows how societies have changed in their approach to illness and disease from ancient times to the present. Early medical traditions include those of Babylon, China, Egypt, and India. The Greeks introduced the concepts of medical diagnosis, prognosis, and advanced medical ethics. The Hippocratic Oath, still taken (although significantly changed from the original) by doctors up to today, was written in Greece in the 5th century BCE.
Branches of Medicine
Medicine is a vast field and is divided into several branches. Some of the major branches include:
Internal Medicine
Internal medicine is the medical specialty dealing with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of adult diseases. Internists are skilled in the management of patients who have undifferentiated or multi-system disease processes.
Surgery
Surgery is a branch of medicine that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate or treat a pathological condition such as a disease or injury, to help improve bodily function or appearance or to repair unwanted ruptured areas.
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions.
Pediatrics
Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends people be under pediatric care up to the age of 21.
Gynecology
Gynecology is the medical practice dealing with the health of the female reproductive systems (vagina, uterus, and ovaries) and the breasts.
Modern Medicine
Modern medicine, also known as Western medicine, is the term used to describe the medical practices used in the Western world. This includes the use of evidence-based medicine, where all treatments and procedures used are backed by scientific research and proven to be effective.
Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine describes any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine, but which lacks biological plausibility and is untested, untestable or proven ineffective. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), integrated medicine or integrative medicine (IM), and holistic medicine are among many rebrandings of the same phenomenon.
Medicine and Society
The societal role of medicine is widely recognized by all cultures. Medicine has a major impact on the collective and individual social development. It is a major source of investment in research and development, in education and training, and in the establishment of health policies and standards.
Future of Medicine
The future of medicine is a constantly expanding field with new discoveries made almost daily. The advent of technology has brought about a revolution in the medical field and changed the face of medicine forever. The future promises to bring about even more changes with the advent of AI, personalized medicine, and other technological advancements.
