This article is about the science and art of healing. For pharmaceutical drugs, see Medication. For other uses, see Medicine (disambiguation).

Statue of Asclepius, the Greek God of medicine, holding the symbolic Rod of Asclepius with its coiled serpent

Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness.
Contemporary medicine applies health science, biomedical research, and medical technology to diagnose and treat injury and disease, typically through medication or surgery, but also through therapies as diverse as psychotherapy, external splints & traction, prostheses, biologics, ionizing radiation and others. The word medicine is derived from the Latin ars medicina, meaning the art of healing.^[1][2]

1. 1 History
2. 2 Clinical practice
3. 3 Institutions
   • 3.1 Delivery
4. 4 Branches
   • 4.1 Basic sciences
   • 4.2 Specialties
     • 4.2.1 Surgery
     • 4.2.2 'Medicine' as a specialty
     • 4.2.3 Diagnostic specialties
     • 4.2.4 Other major specialties
   • 4.3 Interdisciplinary fields
5. 5 Education
6. 6 Legal controls
7. 7 Controversy
8. 8 Honors and awards
9. 9 Patronage
10. 10 See also
11. 11 References