Medicine is
the branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned
with maintaining or restoring human health through the study,
diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of disease and injury. It
is both an area of knowledge – a science of body systems,
their diseases and treatment – and the applied practice of
that knowledge.
Western
medical care is shared between medical professionals (physicians) and
other professionals such as physician assistants, nurses and
pharmacists, sometimes known as allied health professionals.
Historically, only those with a medical doctorate have been considered
to practice medicine. Clinicians (licensed professionals who deal with
patients) can be physicians, nurses, therapists or others. The medical
profession is the social and occupational structure of the group of
people formally trained and authorized to apply medical knowledge. Many
countries and legal jurisdictions have legal limitations on who may
practice medicine.
Medicine
comprises various specialized sub-branches, such as cardiology,
pulmonology, neurology, or other fields such as sports medicine,
research or public health.
From
Wikipedia,