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Do You Know These 50 Important Medical Assistant Abbreviations?
Posted: October 2, 2018
Medical Assistants are important members of the healthcare team who make a real difference in the lives of their patients. They often spend more time with patients than doctors and nurses!
And they don’t just perform clinical care; many work in the front office and deal with lots of administrative and billing tasks. It’s serious responsibility. If you’re ready to become a Medical Assistant, you’ll have a lot to learn. You’ll need to know about rules and procedures. You’ll also need to know the language, which often seems to be written in code.
Here are 50 of the most important Medical Assistant abbreviations you’ll need to know:
- AD – right ear
- AS – left ear
- AU – both ears
- BP – blood pressure
- CBC – complete blood count
- CPE – complete physical exam
- DOB – date of birth
- Hx – history
- L1,L2, etc. – lumbar vertebrae
- LLQ – left lower quadrant
- LMP – last menstrua period
- LUQ – left upper quadrant
- NKDA/ NKA – non-known drug allergies
- NTP – normal temperature
- OD – right eye
- OOB – out of bed
- OS – left eye
- OU – both eyes
- ROM – range of motion
- SMA – student medical assistant
- Strep – streptococcus
- T1, T2, etc. – thoracic vertebrae
- TMT – relating to the tarsal and metatarsal bones
- TPR – temperature, pulse, respiration
- a.c. – before meals
- ad lib – as desired
- c – with
- cc – chief complains
- chol – cholesterol
- cp – chest pain
- d/c – discontinue
- dx – diagnosis
- f/u – follow up
- h.s. – hour of sleep
- ht – height
- otc – over the counter
- p – after
- p.c. – after meals
- prn – whenever possible
- pt. – patient
- q – every
- q2 – every 2 hours
- qam – every morning
- qd – everyday
- qh – every hour
- qhs – every night
- qid – four times a day
- qod – every other day
- v/s – vital signs
- wt – weight
Wow! That’s a lot to learn. But don’t worry, you won’t have to learn them all at once. If you’re interested in a career as a medical assistant or in another healthcare position, check out the healthcare programs at Career Quest Learning Centers. We have campuses in Lansing, Jackson, and Mt. Pleasant, and we really care about the success of our students. We teach you patient treatment and healthcare administration. We also help you highlight your skills so you’ll be work-ready when it’s time for your externship and a job after graduation. Fill out the form to find out more now.