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What Are Antipyretics? The Patient

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“What are antipyretics?” the patient asked. My mind paused. The questionnaire I filled out along side the patient was running smoothly until that point. The nurse changing the patient’s IV looked up and stared at me with a curious smile. I thought quickly and broke the word down in my head. I remembered that “Anti” and “pyr” were of Greek origin: “anti” meaning against, “pyr” meaning fire. I then stated confidently, “Antipyretics are fever reducers, like Tylenol.” The patient relaxed and the nurse continued changing the IV.
Jargon, such as “antipyretics,” has intrigued me for years and was what first drew me to medicine. While I helped my younger sister study for her elementary school regional spelling bee, she was given a medical dictionary to aid in her preparation. As I picked words out of the book to quiz her, I realized medical terminology was heavily rooted in Greek and Latin. This led me to pursue several classes throughout my education that deeply focused on word roots. My imagination was further captured while I volunteered as a pronouncer for North South Foundation’s spelling bee contests, which placed an emphasis on familiarity with word origins.
Listening to these words peppered in conversations amongst the physicians in my family furthered my interest in the medical field. Specifically, my grandfather, an internist in his sixth decade of practice, inspired me through his passion for learning and dedication to his patients. Even as a child, it was clear to me,

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