Everything you need to know before you begin

Level 1 is purely an Introduction to Medical Terminology and is aimed at learners who have not received any formal training in medical terminology – this doesn’t necessarily mean those new to post, we have learners who have worked for 30 or more years and have acquired some knowledge through their roles but felt like a light was switched on when they attended formal training, wondering why they didn't attend our session years ago!

Learners receive a certificate of attendance, and many will feel that this training is in sufficient depth for them to feel more confident in medical terminology.

The level 2 course builds upon this knowledge to offer more depth and a greater range of content. We find students who enjoy the Level 1 sessions and feel like it has sparked an interest to learn more medical terminology transition well onto the Level 2 course. However, many of our students will start at Level 2 without having completed Level 1 and do perfectly well.  We ensure we include the fundamental concepts of word building in our Level 2 course so students with no previous medical terminology training are still taught the basics.

“Introduction to Medical Terminology is now a staple course for our workforce and 243 participants attended this course in 2022.  The course and the Trainer consistently receive excellent feedback, and after completing the course participants feel more confident when speaking to medical colleagues, patients and families.  This course allows people who don’t have a clinical background the opportunity to expand their understanding and improve awareness.”  Feedback from Navrose Chappell – Staffordshire Training Hub Manager

The Level 2 course is aimed at the complete beginner to terminology and is the first of the certificated courses. Many people feel comfortable starting at this entry level. Level 2 is equivalent to a GCSE in terms of difficulty and study time whereas level 3 is equivalent to an A level. Going straight in to level 3 is like completing an A level in a subject you have not studied at GCSE, a tough challenge but a possibility, only you can decide the level of commitment you are able to put in.

If you are still unsure which level is best for you then click here for a copy of a level 2 paper, if you cannot answer more than 50% of the questions then level 2 is certainly the place to start. If over 50% is known then level 3 would be suitable for you. Once you have attained the Level 2 qualification, you will be able to “upgrade” to the Level 3 course at a discounted rate.

Level 2 is completed in approximately 12 weeks ( 6 modules) and Level 3 takes approximately 20 weeks (10 modules). We encourage learners to let their mentors know about holidays and busy periods in their lives to allow extensions to be made, where necessary, for individual modules.

For the Level 2 course the recommended study time is 6-8 hours per week (45 Guided Learning Hours). For the Level 3 course, the recommended study time is 8-10 hours per weeks (82 Guided Learning Hours). If upgrading from Level 2 to Level 3, the suggested study time is 6- 8 hours per week.

You will receive a message once your registration has been submitted to us, this confirms that you have a place on the course you have registered for. PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD AS THESE WILL BE VITAL FOR YOU TO ACCESS OUR PORTAL SYSTEM.

You will then next hear from us a week before the course starts and later that week you will receive a message from your mentor who will contact you to introduce themselves and give you a little more information.  As a summary timeline, here is what to expect:

- The week before the course starts both Mediterm and you mentor will be in touch with more information. 

- On the Monday of the course start date you will receive an email telling you that the first module has been unlocked in the portal.  Log into the portal and study the material in your own time, aim to complete the module in approximately 2 weeks. 

- Complete this test to without referring to your course notes and then submit the test for marking and feedback.

- When you feel confident that you have learnt the course material, you will then complete an end of module revision test within the portal.

- The course will continue this way over 5 modules at level 2 and 9 modules at level 3. Once all the learning is complete, you will have access the final revision module. This contains revision aids such as crosswords and clinic letters for you to decipher, as well as 4 compulsory practice papers for you to complete and submit to your mentor for marking and feedback. Once these are complete, learners will liaise with their mentor regarding readiness for the exam, and exam arrangements will be made.

Many hospitals use Mediterm Training as an approved training provider and GP practices will use their own budgets or access wider budgets, such as through training hubs, the course through the Education and Training Department or via departmental budgets. We also offer the option to self-fund. You may be able to complete the course as part of an apprenticeship scheme. For example the level 3 business administration apprenticeship or the level 2 admin assistant apprenticeship, please contact us for more details about incorporating our courses into your apprenticeship

For courses paid for by the student’s employer, we will obtain details of who to invoice from the registration form. In hospital Trusts, a PO is commonly required, we can issue an invoice to be sent to finance departments to generate the PO. Those self funding the course will be sent an invoice via email upon completion of a self funded registration form. 

Yes, though you will pay slightly more due to administration costs. Payments for Level 2 may be made in 3 instalments, the first being at the start of the course, the second after module 2 and the third payment at Module 4. 

Payments for Level 3 are collected in 3 instalments, the first at the start of the course, the second after Module 3 and the third after Module 6.

All exams are taken online via our learning portal. Learners are invited to sit the exam when they have successfully completed 4 of the compulsory practice papers.  The exam time and date are set to suit the learner’s schedule.  Using proctoring software, we ensure that exam conditions are met during the exam and reserve the right to cancel the exam should there be any concerns regarding any breaches of exam conditions. 

Upon commencing the course, we will liaise with learners regarding the technical requirements for the exam. In the first instance, learners will be advised to sit the exam at home using their own computer and installing a chrome extension to allow the installation of the proctoring software.  Should learners not have the technology available to sit the exam at home, we advise liaising with the place of work for face to face invigilation whilst completing the exam online. We’re keen to limit the requirements of line managers/sponsors to facilitate the exam so encourage the use of technology at home where possible.

The exam fee is £50 and is included in the course fees. Those learners who need to resit the exam will be required to pay £50 for a subsequent exam.

You must obtain a minimum of 70% at both levels to pass the exam. We also use this as our pass rate for our internal testing.

The grading brackets are as shown:

70%+ = pass

80%+ = merit

90%+ = distinction