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Medicine requires prior counselor approval for requirement(s) #10.

Medicine merit badge
Status: Elective
Created: 1991
Discontinued: no
BSA Advancement ID: 130
Requirements revision: 2005
Latest pamphlet revision: 2002


The practice of medicine has a rich history that spans several centuries. Since the first use of plants and other items as simple medicines and balms, many men and women have contributed to the advancement of the "healing arts."

Medicine 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. 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. (Note: Not all may exist in your state.)
    1. Allopathic physician
    2. Chiropractor
    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. Osteopathic physician
    12. Pharmacist
    13. Physical therapist
    14. Physician’s assistant
    15. Podiatrist
    16. Psychologist
    17. Radiologic technologist
    18. Registered nurse
    19. 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
    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. Cardiology
    4. Colon and rectal surgery
    5. Dermatology
    6. Emergency Medicine
    7. Endocrinology
    8. Gastroenterology
    9. Geriatric medicine
    10. Hematology/oncology
    11. Infectious disease
    12. Nephrology
    13. Neuro surgery
    14. Neurology
    15. Nuclear medicine
    16. Ophthalmology
    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
    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 the health care delivery systems in the United States, Sweden, and China.
  10. 1 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.


by an administrator.


Worksheet A FREE workbook for Medicine is available here! Adobe Acrobat PDF
Or click here to print just the Medicine requirements. has PDF and DOC versions of
Boy Scout merit badge workbooks,
Webelos workbooks, and Cub Scout workbooks.
  1. The BSA Health Care Troop Program Feature offers meeting and activity plans to include Medicine as one of your monthly themes.

Requirement resources

The Troop Health Care Monthly Theme includes meeting and activity materials.

Related awards

Profession-related awards

See also

Boy Scout portal
Varsity Scout portal
Venturing portal
General Merit Badge information

External links

Personal tools