SOWK6593: Medical Terminology & Pharmacology

The first half of this course is designed to give social work students a basic understanding of medical terminology as it relates to best practice in medical and clinical settings. Students will learn the practical uses of medical terminology and the way it is used to tell a patient’s story. The students will review how medical words are formed and practice those connections in an applied clinical situation. The second half of this course focuses on preparing students to understand the physical and mental effects of psychoactive drugs. Topics such as neurochemistry and physiology, “uppers", “downers", “synthetics", drug use and prevention, treatment, and co-occurring disorders will be addressed. Throughout the course, students will be challenged to communicate thoughts effectively in oral and written form.