Medical Buzzwords are Convenient, but it is Important to Remember the Underlying Meaning

This week I started a new series of posts called “Bury the Buzzword.” I already explained what this series will entail in its first post, but I think the subject of medical buzzwords deserves further thought.

Buzzwords are not exclusive to the medical profession, but I would venture to say that they are not as widely used in other fields as they are in the medical world. For those of us in the medical profession, buzzwords are a part of our daily vernacular. They are taught in our medical classes, reviewed in the medical textbooks, and tested on the boards. They include a lot of information packed into a single word or phrase so that knowledge can be communicated faster, effectively, and more efficiently.

The sheer volume of medical buzzwords can seem overwhelming at first, as each specialty in medicine has their own. These buzzwords are used to describe diseases, physical exam findings, imaging results, and just about any other kind of pathology. Because of their widespread use, they become intricately associated with their target. By nature they are only useful to the members of the profession, because the buzzword itself does not have enough information contained within it to completely describe its recipient. Herein lies a potential problem.

It can become too convenient to simply play the match game with each buzzword, and merely associate the word with the disease and forget the underlying meaning behind it. This is easy to do because of the large number of buzzwords as stated above, and also how board questions are set up. If a board question includes a buzzword, it only takes word association to come up with the correct diagnosis among the answer choices. However, medical board exams are starting to lean away from using buzzwords in the question stems. Even though it may make the question a bit harder, the board examiners are realizing the importance of comprehending the definition of the buzzwords.

When you look at a cell under the microscope there’s not going to be a neon sign that says “clue cell”, or when you look into someone’s eye with the ophthalmoscope the blood vessels are not going to spell out “cherry-red macula.” Consequently, it takes a complete understanding of the pathophysiology behind the buzzword before you are able to recognize it. In our real world clinical experience we are confronted with the explanations and definitions of disease and it is our responsibility to provide the diagnosis. When the findings of a buzzword are present, it becomes helpful in making that diagnosis.

Therefore, buzzwords do not become completely useful until they can be defined and recognized. Only then should they be used in communication with other healthcare professionals where a mutual understanding of the vocabulary exists.