Faculty Syllabus

HPRS-1206 Essentials of Medical Terminology


Tammie Petersen


Credit Spring 2026


Section(s)

HPRS-1206-006 (34649)
LEC Tu 10:00am - 11:40am RRC RRC3 3313.00

Course Requirements

This course will include 5 major exams covering 5 units of study, please see course schedule for units of study.  The student will also have one homework assignment and one quiz to complete for each Unit of information.

  1. Required Text and Course Materials:

  2. Davi-Ellen Chabner, The Language of Medicine, Current Edition, will be available as an electronic textbook as part of your course fees
  3. Course notes: will be available through Blackboard as a download; therefore, you will need to print out the pages for the unit of study prior to watching the video.  These pages will serve as the framework for our testable material.
  4. (Optional) Medical Dictionary such as Taber’s, Mosby’s, or Stedman’s.  **All of these books and course materials may be purchased from most ACC bookstores or on-line at www.austincc.bkstore.com
  5. Technology and testing requirements for HPRS courses

    In order to test online, students will need a strong, reliable internet connection, a PC or MAC with a working camera, or a Chromebook or laptop with a working webcam.  Students will only need these electronic devices on test days.  If students do not own one of these devices, they should plan to borrow one from a friend, neighbor or family member for use on test days.   If students do not have these required devices, they will need to contact their instructor.  These are the minimal technology requirements for online testing.

    Students will be using ACC DE Proctoring system for all exams.  The directions are located in the Syllabus Addendum on Blackboard.


Readings

Read Basic Word Structure, Text:  Chapter 1

Read Body as a Whole, Text:  Chapter 2

Read Suffixes, Text:  Chapter 3

Read Prefixes, Text:  Chapter 4

Read Integumentary System, Text:  Chapter 16

Review for Exam (chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 16)

Unit Exam #1, covering Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, & and 16

Read Musculoskeletal System, Text:  Chapter 15

Read Digestive System, Text:  Chapter 5

Read Digestive System Cont’d., Text:  Chapter 6

Review for Exam (chapters 15, 5, and 6)

Unit Exam #2, covering Chapters 15, 5, & 6

Read Nervous System,  Text:  Chapter 10

Read Sense Organs: The Ear, Text:  Chapter 17

Read Sense Organs: The Eye, Text: Chapter 17

Read Endocrine System,  Text:  Chapter 18

Review for Exam (chapters 10, 17, and 18)

Unit Exam #3, covering Chapters 1017 & 18

Read Blood System, Text:  Chapter 13

Read Lymphatic and Immune System, Text:  Chapter 14

Read Cardiovascular System, Text:  Chapter 11

Read Respiratory System, Text:  Chapter 12

Review for Exam (chapters 11, 12, 13, and 14)

Unit Exam #4, covering Chapters 11, 12, 13, & 14

Read Urinary System, Text:  Chapter 7

Read Male Reproductive System, Text:  Chapter 8

Read Female Reproductive System, Text:  Chapter 9

Review Pharmacology pages in your guide, Text: Chapter 21

Review for Exam (chapters 7, 8, 9, and 21)

Unit Exam #5, covering Chapters 7, 8, 9 & 21                            

Optional Exam #6 (for students that wish to take this exam)


Course Subjects

Exam #1 covers:

Introduction to Medical Terminology Chapter 1,

Basic Words Structures, Body as a Whole Chapter 2

Blood Cells and Prefixes Chapter 3

Suffixes Chapter 4

Integumentary System Chapter 16

Exam #2 covers:

Digestive System Chapter 5 & 6

Bones, Joints and Musculoskeletal System Chapter 15

Exam #3 covers:

Nervous System Chapter 10

Endocrine System Chapter 18

Sense Organs The Eyes and Ears Chapter 17

Exam #4 covers:

Lymphatic and Immune System Chapter 14

Blood System Chapter 13

Cardiovascular System Chapter 11

Respiratory System Chapter 12

Exam #5 covers:

Urinary System Chapter 7

Male Reproductive System Chapter 9

Female Reproductive System Chapter 8

Pharmacology abbreviations


Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

On completion of the course, the student will have the ability to:

  1. Analyze and divide medical terms into individual word parts (i.e. prefix, suffix, root word or combining vowel)
  2. Identify and define word parts.
  3. Define medical terms using word part meanings
  4. Define prefixes, roots and suffixes associated with each body system.
  5. Spell medical terms correctly.
  6. Using correct medical terms, recall the function of the different body systems and identify anatomical structures associated with each body system.
  7. Convert medical terms from singular to plural form or from plural to singular forms.
  8. Define several pathological conditions affecting each body system.
  9. Recall the meanings of abbreviations associated with different body systems.
  10. Identify surgical, clinical and laboratory procedures related to health care.
  11. Identify medical words used in context.
  12. Apply newly gained medical terminology information knowledge in practical application.

Office Hours

M 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Round Rock Campus, Building 3000, Room 3117.03

NOTE Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-345p; • Email me for a meeting time as I am in a locked/badge access only location. Text upon arrival, and I will meet you to bring you back to my office area. I am also available other times by appointment; email for meeting time and Zoom link if virtual meetings are preferred. Other times available by appointment.

M 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM Virtual

NOTE For HPRS 2300-002, 010, 011 and HPRS 2301-001

Published: 11/19/2025 14:44:42