Medicine

Medicine merit badge requirements

1. Discuss with your counselor the influence that EIGHT of the following people or events had on the history of health care:

   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. Daniel Hale Williams

   k. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen

   l. Marie and Pierre Curie

   m. Walter Reed

   n. Karl Landsteiner

   o. Alexander Fleming

   p. Charles Richard Drew

   q. Helen Taussig

   r. James Watson and Francis Crick

   s. Jonas Salk

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.

   1. Allopathic physician (M.D.) and Osteopathic physician (D.O.

   2. Chiropractor (D.C.)

   3. Emergency medical technician

   4. Licensed practical/vocational nurse

   5. Medical assistant

   6. Medical laboratory technologist

   7. Nurse-midwife

   8. Nurse practitioner

   9. Occupational therapist

   10. Optometrist

   11. Pharmacist

   12. Physical therapist

   13. Physician’s assistant

   14. Podiatrist

   15. Psychologist

   16. Radiologic technologist

   17. Registered nurse

   18. Respiratory therapist

   b. Describe the educational and licensing requirements to practice health care in your state for FIVE of the professions in requirement 4a. (Not all professions may exist in your state.)

5. a. Tell what is meant by the term "primary care" with regard to a medical specialty.

   b. Briefly describe the types of work done by physicians in the following specialties:

   1. Internal medicine*

   2. Family practice*

   3. Obstetrics/gynecology*

   4. Pediatrics*

   5. Psychiatry

   6. Surgery

   c. 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. Cardiology

   4. Colorectal surgery

   5. Critical care medicine (intensive care medicine)

   6 Dermatology

   7. Emergency Medicine

   8. Endocrinology

   9. Gastroenterology

   10. Geriatric medicine

   11. Hematology/oncology

   12. Hospitalist

   13. Infectious disease

   14. Nephrology

   15. Neuro surgery

   16. Neurology

   17. Nuclear medicine

   18. Ophthalmology

   19. Orthopedic surgery

   20. Otolaryngology/head and neck surgery

   21. Pathology

   22. Physical medicine and rehabilitation

   23. Plastic, reconstructive, and maxillofacial surgery.

   24. Preventive medicine

   25. Pulmonology

   26. Radiology

   27. Rheumatology

   28. Thoracic/cardiothoracic surgery

   29. Urology

   30. Vascular surgery

   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.

   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.

   c. Show how to take a blood pressure reading and a pulse reading.

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 at least two types of health care delivery systems used throughout the world.
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.

The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: 2018 Boy Scout Requirements, 2018 Edition (BSA Supply SKU #641568)

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." Pamphlets (books) are at local Scout Shops and online at ScoutStuff.org.
• "Get a signed Merit Badge application from your Scoutmaster." An online, printable Word doc file version is available.

• Boy Scout Merit Badges: American Business - Architecture - Aviation - Chemistry - Crime Prevention - Dentistry - Engineering - Entrepreneurship - Inventing - Journalism - Landscape Architecture - Law - Medicine - Personal Management - Pulp and Paper - Salesmanship - Surveying - Textile - Veterinary Medicine
• Webelos Activity Badges: Engineer - Scientist
• Cub Scout Belt Loops & Pins: Mathematics - Science

• An Introduction to Merit Badges – how to get started, who chooses the counselor, etc.
• Merit Badge revision dates – latest revision dates of each merit badge pamphlet.
• Merit Badge Worksheets & Requirements – with the revision dates, diagrams, charts, checklists, logs, and links you need.
• Merit Badge Application – offers online resources to let you print "Blue Cards," etc.
• Merit Badge FAQ – answers dozens of questions like: Who can be a counselor? Can requirements be added or removed?
• Merit Badges Requiring Prior Approval – Certain requirements need prior approval. Most do not. Here is the list.
• Also see: List of how many boys have earned each Merit Badge – Merit Badge policies – Merit badges required for the Eagle Scout rank – Merit Badge Days
• Additionally: List of Merit Badges by Field of Study – Merit Badge Pamphlets & Libraries
• Merit Badge Counselors must complete Youth Protection Training, file an Adult Application (and Merit Badge Counselor Information Form); and be approved by the local council. (See the Guide for Merit Badge Counselors for additional details.)