01/29/08

Medicine

1. Discuss with your counselor the influence that EIGHT of the following people or events had on the history of medicine:
   1. Hippocrates
   2. William Harvey
   3. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
   4. Edward Jenner
   5. Florence Nightingale
   6. Louis Pasteur
   7. Gregor Mendel
   8. Joseph Lister
   9. Robert Koch
   10. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
   11. Marie and Pierre Curie
   12. Walter Reed
   13. Karl Landsteiner
   14. Alexander Fleming
   15. Jonas Salk
   16. James Watson and Francis Crick
2. Explain the Hippocratic Oath to your counselor, and compare to the original version to a more modern one. Discuss to whom those subscribing to the original version of the oath owe the greatest allegiance.
3. Discuss the health-care provider-patient relationship with your counselor, and the importance of such a relationship in the delivery of quality care to the patient. Describe the role of confidentiality in this relationship.
4. Do the following:
   1. Describe the roles the following people play in the delivery of health care in your state. (Note: Not all may exist in your state.)

                                                              i.      Physician

                                                            ii.      Chiropractor

                                                          iii.      Optometrist

                                                          iv.      Podiatrist

                                                            v.      Pharmacist

                                                          vi.      Psychologist

                                                        vii.      Physician's assistant

                                                      viii.      Nurse practitioner

                                                          ix.      Nurse-midwife

                                                            x.      Registered Nurse

                                                          xi.      Licensed vocational/practical nurse

                                                        xii.      Medical assistant

                                                      xiii.      Emergency medical technician

                                                      xiv.      Medical laboratory technologist

                                                        xv.      Radiologic technologist

                                                      xvi.      Physical therapist

                                                    xvii.      Occupational therapist

                                                  xviii.      Respiratory therapist

2. Describe the educational and licensing requirements for five of those in 4a --other than 4a(1)- - practicing health care in your state.
4.  
   1.  Tell what is meant by the term "primary care" with regard to a medical specialty. Briefly describe the types of work done by physicians in the following "core" specialties:

                                                              i.      Internal medicine*

                                                            ii.      Family practice*

                                                          iii.      Obstetrics/gynecology*

                                                          iv.      Pediatrics*

                                                            v.      Psychiatry

                                                          vi.      Surgery

2.  Describe the additional educational requirements for these specialties.
5.  
   1.  Briefly describe the types of work performed by physicians in FIVE of the following specialties or subspecialties:

                                                              i.      Allergy/immunology

                                                            ii.      Anesthesiology

                                                          iii.      Cardiovascular disease

                                                          iv.      Colon and rectal surgery

                                                            v.      Dermatology

                                                          vi.      Emergency Medicine

                                                        vii.      Endocrinology and metabolism

                                                      viii.      Gastroenterology

                                                          ix.      Geriatric medicine

                                                            x.      Hematology/oncology

                                                          xi.      Infectious disease

                                                        xii.      Nephrology

                                                      xiii.      Neurological surgery

                                                      xiv.      Neurology

                                                        xv.      Nuclear medicine

                                                      xvi.      Ophthalmology

                                                    xvii.      Orthopedic surgery

                                                  xviii.      Otolaryngology/head and neck surgery

                                                      xix.      Pathology

                                                        xx.      Physical medicine and rehabilitation

                                                      xxi.      Plastic, reconstructive, and maxillofacial surgery.

                                                    xxii.      Preventive medicine

                                                  xxiii.      Radiology

                                                  xxiv.      Rheumatology

                                                    xxv.      Thoracic/cardiothoracic surgery

                                                  xxvi.      Urology

                                                xxvii.      Vascular surgery

2.  Describe the additional educational requirements for the five specialties or subspecialties you chose in 6a.
6.  
   1.  Visit a physician's office,** preferably one who delivers "primary care." (This may be that of your counselor.) Discuss the components of a medical history and physical examination (an official BSA health form may be used to guide this discussion), and become familiar with the instruments used.
   2.  Describe the characteristics of a good diagnostic test to screen for disease (e.g. routine blood pressure measurement). Explain briefly why diagnostic tests are not perfect.
   3.  Show how to take a blood pressure reading and a pulse reading.
7. Do the following:
   1. Discuss the roles medical societies, the insurance industry, and the government play in influencing the practice of medicine in the United States.
   2. Briefly tell how your state monitors the quality of health care within its borders, and how it provides care to those who do not have health insurance.
8. Compare and discuss with your counselor the health care delivery systems in the United States, Sweden, and China.
9. Serve as a volunteer at a health-related event or facility in your community (e.g. blood drive, "health fair", blood pressure screening, etc.) approved by your counselor.

* "Primary care" specialties

** If this cannot be arranged, demonstrate to your counselor that you understand the components of a medical history and physical, and discuss the instruments involved.

Source: 2007 Boy Scout Requirements (33215)  

Workbook in PDF