• S McCrary and R C Christensen.
• Department of Community Health and Family Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville.
• Arch Fam Med. 1993 Jan 1; 2 (1): 101-5.

AbstractMedical jargon is commonly used by health-care professionals. The use of such jargon is sometimes criticized as insensitive or callous. Rather than generalize, we identify four basic types of medical jargon and discuss their relevant moral distinctions. Our characterizations of jargon include medical acronyms, euphemisms, and initiatory and derogatory language. Physicians should be aware of the ways in which they use medical slang. Jargon can serve useful purposes but its moral status is often dependent on the function it serves and the context in which it is used. Jargon that is clearly derogatory can reflect negatively on the moral character of the medical profession and should be avoided when possible.

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