Merit Badge Requirements

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Merit Badge Award Page

List of Merit Badge Requirements

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. The invention of Gunpowder
   3. William Harvey
   4. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
   5. Edward Jenner
   6. Florence Nightingale
   7. Louis Pasteur
   8. Gregor Mendel
   9. Joseph Lister
   10. Robert Koch
   11. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
   12. Marie and Pierre Curie
   13. Walter Reed
   14. Karl Landsteiner
   15. Alexander Fleming
   16. Jonas Salk
   17. 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.)
       
      1. Physician
      2. Chiropractor
      3. Optometrist
      4. Podiatrist
      5. Pharmacist
      6. Psychologist
      7. Physician's assistant
      8. Nurse practitioner
      9. Nurse-midwife
      10. Registered Nurse
      11. Licensed vocational/practical nurse
      12. Medical assistant
      13. Emergency medical technician
      14. Medical laboratory technologist
      15. Radiologic technologist
      16. Physical therapist
      17. Occupational therapist
      18. 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.
5.  
   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:
      1. Internal medicine*
      2. Family practice*
      3. Obstetrics/gynecology*
      4. Pediatrics*
      5. Psychiatry
      6. Surgery
          
   2. Describe the additional educational requirements for these specialties.
       
6.  
   1. Briefly describe the types of work performed by physicians in FIVE of the following specialties or subspecialties:
       
      1. Allergy/immunology
      2. Anesthesiology
      3. Cardiovascular disease
      4. Colon and rectal surgery
      5. Dermatology
      6. Emergency Medicine
      7. Endocrinology and metabolism
      8. Gastroenterology
      9. Geriatric medicine
      10. Hematology/oncology
      11. Infectious disease
      12. Nephrology
      13. Neurological surgery
      14. Neurology
      15. Nuclear medicine
      16. Opthalmology
      17. Orthopedic surgery
      18. Otolaryngology/head and neck surgery
      19. Pathology
      20. Physical medicine and rehabilitation
      21. Plastic, reconstructive, and maxillofacial surgery.
      22. Preventive medicine
      23. Radiology
      24. Rheumatology
      25. Thoracic/cardiothoracic surgery
      26. Urology
      27. Vascular surgery
           
   2. Describe the additional educational requirements for the five specialties or subspecialties you chose in 6a.
       
7.  
   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.
       
      • 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.
         
   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.
       
8. 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.
       
9. Compare and discuss with your counselor the health care delivery systems in the United States, Sweden, and China.
    
10. 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

List of Merit Badge Requirements

List of Merit Badge Requirements

Merit Badge Award Page

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