Medicine
From MeritBadgeDotOrg
| Medicine merit badge | ||
| ||
| Status: | Elective | |
| Created: | 1991 | |
| Discontinued: | no | |
| BSA Advancement ID: | ||
| Requirements revision: | 2005 | |
| Latest pamphlet revision: | 2002 | |
Contents |
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Merit badge requirements
- 1. Discuss with your counselor the influence that EIGHT of the following people or events had on the history of medicine:
- a. Hippocrates
- b. William Harvey
- c. Antoine van Leeuwenhoek
- d. Edward Jenner
- e. Florence Nightingale
- f. Louis Pasteur
- g. Gregor Mendel
- h. Joseph Lister
- i. Robert Koch
- j. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen
- k. Marie and Pierre Curie
- l. Walter Reed
- m. Karl Landsteiner
- n. Alexander Fleming
- o. Jonas Salk
- p. 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:
- a. 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
- b. Describe the educational and licensing requirements for five of those in 4a --other than 4a(1)- - practicing health care in your state.
- 5.a. 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
- 5.b. Describe the additional educational requirements for these specialties.
- 6.a. 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
- 6.b. Describe the additional educational requirements for the five specialties or subspecialties you chose in 6a.
- 7.a. 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.
- 7.b. 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.
- 7.c. Show how to take a blood pressure reading and a pulse reading.
- a. Describe the roles the following people play in the delivery of health care in your state. (Note: Not all may exist in your state.)
- 8. Do the following:
- a. Discuss the roles medical societies, the insurance industry, and the government play in influencing the practice of medicine in the United States.
- b. 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
** 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)
Notes
| A FREE workbook for Medicine is available here!  with the maps, charts, links, diagrams, and checklists you need! Or click here to print just the Medicine requirements. | meritbadge.org has PDF and DOC versions of Boy Scout merit badge workbooks, Webelos workbooks, Cub Scout workbooks, and Nova Award workbooks. |
Per the BSA: You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Merit badge pamplets are available at your local Scout Shop or online at ScoutStuff.org.
Help with these requirements
- 2: Survivor M.D. Explains the Hippocratic Oath, both modern and historical.
- 9: Privatization and Its Discontents — The Evolving Chinese Health Care System The New England Journal of Medicine looks at China's failing health care system.
- 9: Health and medical care policy and dental care The official Swedish government information page for the single-payer system.
