Stedman's Medical Dictionary

I teach Parasitology and I have found that my students learn the terms more easily if they know what they mean. So I needed a medical dictionary to help me with the etimology. Being a sort of a bibliophile, I had older editions of the 2 major medical dictionaries in the English language: the Dorland's and the Stedman's. I checked the old texts thoroughly and read carefully the descriptions of the new ones. I can't remember why I chose the Stedman's but I do remember that it was a very tight decision. So I have had the Stedman's for a few weeks and I can't think of anything else that I may need in a dictionary: it has excellent typography, clear definitions, beautiful color text and illustrations, comprehensive etimology (the Greek roots are NOT written in Greek, which is a blessing for me). I might only wish the inclusion of some specific veterinary terms (which are also missing in the competition) and sturdier covers (the corners of the hardback edition covers arrived bent; it was a 5,000 miles trip though)

Having just started my medical studies I was looking for a complete dictionary to meet my demand for a comprehensive and "easy-to-use" book to guide my among the vast and sometimes difficult medical language. I found quickly that Stedman's had everything i could ever ask for in a medical dictionary. It's up to date in current research and also has many entries for termonology of old. The book is very comprehensive and detailed and even surpassed my dictionary of organic chemistry when I studied the subject.

What I especially apriciate with this book is it's pedagogical illustrations and a passage with "building-blocks of the medical language" wich has been a great help for me in understanding and memorizing medical terms.

During my studies I have compared my dictionary with many other medical dictonaries and have found that Stedman's remains my first choise by far!

As an individual who suffers from the effects of ALS I needed a quality reference volume to lead me through the vast amount of terminology I encountered. After reviewing all of the major titles available I settled on Stedman's because it is ehaustive in its treatment but still clear and consice. While by know means possesing the understanding of a medical professional I feel a need to stay current on all of the research and treatment developments for my condition. Steadman's has helped a great deal in explaining and demystifying complex terminology and procedures. I highly reccommend this for anyone with a serious illness who wants answers to complex medical terminology in an easy to understand form

This is a comprehensive, medical dictionary that is well organized and cross-referenced. Its use is made more interesting by the inclusion of etymologies. It is not, however, for doctors only. This veritable treasure trove of information is also a boon to lawyers. All who use it, however, should read the user's guide that is included with the book, in order to maximize its value.

I have been using this great dictionary since I joined medical school. Even now as a doctor, I still use it when I'm stuck with a meaning of a medical word. Features include:

- Numerous colored illustrations including ADAM Anatomical Art, new diagnostic plates e.g. imaging and clinical and microscopic plates.
- Common medical abbreviations.
- Highly organized vocabularies.
- Highly organized entries and cross-references.
- Special reference to medical eponyms.
- Shows the difference between British and American spellings.
- Pronunciation key.
- Easy & simple Wordfinder.
- Genus Finder.
- A-Z vocabularies.
- Origins of the medical words e.g. Latin, Greek etc. which attracts me for the most ! Learning the origins of the medical words can be a boon to learning medical language. It makes remembering medical terms easier.
- Appendices including: Table of elements & their atomic weights, Comparative temperature scales, Temperature equivalents, Weights & measures, Symbols, Laboratory reference range values, Blood groups, Diagnosis related groups, Certified Regional Poison Control Centers, CDC Universal Precautions, AIDS - resources (By State), AIDS Hotlines (By State), and AIDS education & training centers (By region).
- 27th Edition comes in 2098 pages, and was published by Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins company (great company by the way!), 2000.

I wish there could be Stedman's Dictionary on PDA handhelds (e.g. Palm) in the future.
I strongly advise medical students and other health care workers to use this invaluable dictionary. 10/10