Medical diagnoses in Latin?

I recently came across an article by a doctor arguing that medical diagnoses should be written in American English, given that there’s actually no regulation requiring them to stay in Latin. Plus, in most other countries across the US and beyond, diagnoses are typically recorded in the local language.
What are your thoughts on this? Would you prefer seeing your diagnoses in plain English? Do you think it would make things easier to grasp? Why do you suppose American doctors still cling to Latin terminology? Could part of the reason be to create a sense of mystique and widen the gap between the patient and the physician?....

I recently came across an article by a doctor arguing that medical diagnoses should be written in American English, since there aren't actually any regulations mandating the use of Latin. Plus, most countries across the US and elsewhere just use their own native language for these things.
What are your thoughts on this? Would you prefer them to be in plain English? Do you think it would make everything easier to understand? Why do you suppose American doctors still cling to those Latin terms? Do you think part of the reason is just to sound more official and create a wider gap between the patient and the physician? Should we just swap out the Latin names for standard American terms? ....

(I posted this in the health section too, just in case)

Of course I believe we should be communicating in American... though I suppose playing God is always more entertaining, isn't it?

P.s. check your inbox, you have a PM 😉

This "doctor" guy has gotta be a total comedian... 😁

I don't get why they're writing in Latin? It just confuses everyone.

Grace Carter80 said:That "doctor" must be a real piece of work.. 😁

Maybe he's just a regular guy who realizes most doctors barely grasp Latin grammar, let alone how to properly decline medical terms. They just cling to Latin because they think it adds prestige, acting like they're some kind of untouchable gods who shouldn't bother communicating with mere mortals. It keeps people from asking too many questions about their actual illness, which clearly isn't any of their business anyway.

Sure, we could just stick to Latin, but honestly, everyone needs to pick up some Latin anyway.

If we wrote this in plain American English, people wouldn't have a clue what's going on because they don't know the technical jargon—you know, anatomy and all that stuff.
And that’s why they don't care.

This whole situation has always rubbed me the wrong way, and honestly, I’m really digging this proposal. To my mind, it’s nothing more than pure ego at play.
Even the standard stuff—the usage instructions, the indications, the contraindications, all that fine print on medication inserts—is written in such dense jargon that most people practically need a PhD just to figure out what they're looking at (though, let's be real, almost nobody actually reads them anyway).
I get that you can't just write medical info like it's a lifestyle blog, but we could certainly simplify the vocabulary to make things accessible for folks who didn't spend their lives in an Ivy League lecture hall.

It’s a tall order, really, which is exactly why we have family doctors to walk us through what those diagnoses actually imply—assuming, of course, they have all the answers. 😁

For instance, without a local clinic like Mayo Clinic to guide them, most people would be completely lost trying to decipher something like "gastrointestinal bleeding." It's just plain English, even if it sounds incredibly technical.

That said, I personally find it most convenient when everything is listed in Latin, provided they follow it up with a standard American medical abbreviation: pulmo b. o. (nothing too fancy). 😛

There’s this one theory floating around suggesting that doctors intentionally maintain those absolutely illegible scribbles just as a clever way to mask the fact that they haven't a clue how to handle basic Latin declensions... 😁

fadedtrucker19 said:There’s actually this theory floating around that doctors scribble so illegibly on purpose, just because they don't actually know their Latin declensions and want to hide the evidence... 😁

That is quite true, isn't it? I remember one physician we had who could only manage to write unam / unum or perhaps duos / duas inside those dosage brackets—though I'm honestly not sure if the neuter gender even exists for packaging requirements—so whenever he was faced with needing to write quattuor or, heaven forbid, quinque, he would simply end up writing out two separate prescriptions instead. 😁

Man, forget all that Latin nonsense—it’s never going to get us anywhere...

I don't buy this idea that Latin is being used just to confuse the average person or drive a wedge between doctors and their patients. In fact, if a physician takes the time to write out a diagnosis properly using Latin, colleagues anywhere else in the world will know exactly what they’re dealing with. I can't help but wonder how someone would manage if they needed a second opinion abroad and showed up with medical records where every single diagnosis was written in American vernacular...
Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that doctors aren't prepared to explain things clearly and in plain English to a patient or their family. Of course, there are exceptions—there always are in everything—but we shouldn't paint everyone with the same brush.
At any rate, what bothers me more is the illegible handwriting and the constant scribbling instead of just using a typewriter or a computer if they won't do anything else...

Honestly, what bugs me more is the illegible handwriting. Use a typewriter if you won't use a computer, for crying out loud...

Same here.

Do you think one reason could be mystification—creating a massive gap between the patient and the doctor?....

Mystification? Please. Any patient with half a brain can just ask their doctor what's going on. At least they should tell me straight in plain English.

I get the feeling that using Latin is mostly just an exercise in self-promotion and mystification. It’s frankly silly to write a diagnosis in Latin; unless there’s a rare exception, the patient isn't going to have a clue what's happening. It reminds me of how the Catholic Church refused to translate the Bible into common languages before the Reformation, just to maintain their grip on power.

analogfox3 said:I'd love to see how someone would manage if they went abroad for a second opinion and showed up with paperwork where every single diagnosis was written in American...
In any case, my real grievance is with illegible handwriting. People should at least use a typewriter or a computer if they can't be bothered to write clearly.

It's simple: you just translate it yourself, or someone else does it for you. If the document is in American, you can actually understand it, which makes translating it into English a breeze.

The much larger issue is the scribbling on these forms. Honestly, sometimes I struggle to tell if I'm looking at the Latin alphabet or Arabic script, let alone trying to figure out what language is being used or what the doctor was actually attempting to say.

On the subject of explaining diagnoses to patients, I've had some pretty bad experiences. Some doctors love hoarding information. They hide behind heavy technical jargon, acting as if instead of helping the patient understand, they're just trying to prove the person is too foolish to grasp the situation.

Look, I’ve had some pretty terrible experiences when it comes to doctors explaining diagnoses: they love keeping patients in the dark. They hide behind a wall of medical jargon, acting like they aren't trying to help you understand, but rather trying to prove you're an idiot who couldn't grasp the concept if their life depended on it.

A person who isn't actually an idiot can just say, "I didn't catch that—look, I don't really know the medical terminology,"
.

First off, what is even the point of memorizing all these medical terms and diagnoses in Latin? Is it just to clutter our brains? There’s actually a practical purpose here: as a future physician, having that foundation ensures I can communicate seamlessly with my colleagues in places like Germany or France. We need a universal language to ensure everyone is on the same page.

My second suggestion would be to simply list both—the Latin term alongside its English equivalent (perhaps keeping the Latin strictly in the nominative case?). Right now, a phrase like "pes planus" might as well be gibberish to you, but if I provide the translation "flat feet" right next to it, the meaning becomes crystal clear to everyone involved. 😁

Problem solved. ☕

Keith Gonzalez said:First off—what’s even the point of memorizing all these terms and diagnoses in Latin? Is it just to cram it into our heads? There’s a reason for it, though. As a future doctor, I need to be able to communicate clearly with a colleague from Romania.

The second option is simple: just list them in both languages (maybe just the nominative for the Latin part?). Terms like "pedes plani" don't mean much to you right now, but if I include the English translation for flat feet right next to it, everyone stays on the same page. 😁

Problem solved. ☕

But that doesn't actually hold water. A doctor from Romania isn't going to walk into an American hospital and start practicing without knowing English and passing a mountain of exams. It works the same way here. In over 99% of cases, patients aren't being treated in multiple countries. If there is an exception, it's easy enough to provide a translation; it would be ridiculous to overhaul the entire system just for those rare instances. Honestly, having a universal understanding of diagnoses through Latin is pretty much useless. Latin is just a relic of the past—a way to make people feel sophisticated. *Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.*

Look, trying to find one universal way to understand medical diagnoses is a total waste of time.

Especially for chronic patients traveling abroad.

Kimberly Davis52 said:Mystification? Please. I think anyone with half a brain is allowed to ask their doctor what’s actually going on. If it were me, I’d at least expect them to tell me in plain English.

I just got my annual physical results in the mail. Everything is written in this weird code—just a bunch of abbreviations and cryptic shorthand... nothing helpful. Now I have to wait for my primary care doctor to decode the whole mess before they can even think about prescribing anything or telling me if I'm actually okay. Until then, I'm just sitting here clueless.
Next time, I'm demanding an explanation that actually makes sense...