Lesson 6: WHIC Resources

Medical Dictionaries

Medical dictionaries are found on the General Reference shelf.

Medical dictionaries are always a good place to start a search. Finding key terms in a medical dictionary can help verify that you and the client are talking about the same topic. From the dictionary definition the client can gather synonyms and broader terms that may be useful if she needs to search for more information.

Do not guess about whether a term in the dictionary matches the question being asked. If the client has any doubt, ask her to call her doctor's office to confirm the term and how it is spelled.

Two print dictionaries available in WHIC are:

Mosby's Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary Publisher's description	Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary Publisher's description

Why have two dictionaries? Take a few minutes now to look at these two volumes. Compare the definitions of a term or condition that interests you. For example, read the two definitions for migraine. Note that they are a little different. Looking at both adds to your understanding of the condition.

The web resource, MedlinePlus, provides an online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Make a practice of pointing out the availability of this dictionary to clients who plan to continue to look for information online when they go home. Take a few minutes now to compare a definition from one of the print dictionaries with the one online. Which would you choose to use when you have both available?

WHIC Resources
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