Students Publish Book of Latin Medical Terms

University School of Milwaukee

Aspiring writers are often told to write what they know. For University School of Milwaukee student Eshaan Vasudev ’26, that meant Latin. Vasudev, who had always aspired to enter the medical field, realized that his Latin studies significantly enhanced his understanding of medical terms. A lightbulb moment occurred when he realized it might help others, too. “When I started taking Latin in Upper School, I realized how useful it was for medical terms. For example, there are so many anatomical terms that are related to Latin. If you know Latin, you’ll be able to recognize them much more easily.”

He joined forces with his brother, Krish Vasudev ’24, and their mentor, Dr. Ronald D. Roessler, an ER doctor and Latin teacher, to create a book that could serve as a bridge between Latin and medical terminology. The finished product, called “Arbor Medicinae: Latin Roots of Medical Terms,” was published in January 2025.

Initially, the project was meant to be a straightforward glossary of medical terms with Latin roots. However, they soon saw an opportunity to make the book more engaging by incorporating Greek and Latin mythology. The story of Prometheus, for example, whose liver regenerated daily as punishment from Zeus, mirrored the real-life regenerative capabilities of the human liver. These stories made the book more compelling than just a list of definitions.

As the project grew, so did their team. Recognizing the need for illustrations, they reached out to Eshaan’s Latin classmate, Aida El-Hajjar ’27, who happens to be a talented artist with an affinity for Latin and medicine. She meticulously researched and illustrated the more than 40 images used in the book to ensure accuracy and clarity. “Eshaan would send me the list of the different images he needed, and some of them I didn’t know so I had to do a lot of research on my own,” said El-Hajjar. “We wanted the drawings to be accurate but also understandable to the audience.”

Compiling terms was not a straightforward process, and required careful differentiation between Latin, Greek, and medical Latin. Additionally, they had to strike a balance between accessibility and depth—ensuring the book was accessible and informative to readers ranging in age from middle school to undergraduate students and even doctors unfamiliar with Latin roots.

The book is organized by medical systems—skeletal, muscular, nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, and more. Each section was designed to be intuitive, with definitions, illustrations, and related terms to help readers make connections beyond medicine alone. Each section is also color-coordinated for easy reference.

Eshaan and his brother tried pitching their book to many national and international publishers, but had no success. Their mother suggested contacting a local publisher instead. The first one they called, HenschelHAUS Publishing, was immediately intrigued and agreed to take them on. “I think the book is tremendous,” said Kira Henschel, publisher. “Aida is such a talented artist and Eshaan obviously put a lot of work into making the book attractive and useful. I think it’s a great idea and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here.”

Eshaan and El-Hajjar attended the Wisconsin Junior Classical League state convention from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, in Madison, Wisconsin, where they showcased their book and sold copies. Half of the proceeds went to supporting organizations dedicated to promoting classical studies.

“Eshaan brought together his love of both Latin and medicine in a book that is meant to encourage others to see what he sees in both Latin and medicine,” said Andrew Mills, Upper School Latin teacher. “He was able to bring together his brother Krish (who is a former USM alumni and Latin acolyte), Dr. Roessler (who is a well-known figure in Latin teaching), and Aida, a talented USM artist. With each, he was able to pull together an excellent book aimed at young readers to even older Latinists like myself to see the connections that Latin and the Medical arts have to show us.”

Although it’s no longer spoken, the Latin language is still very much alive for Eshaan and El-Hajjar. “Learning the grammatical techniques and concepts of Latin has really helped me with English and other subjects as well,” said Eshaan. “And we’re also learning about Latin’s history, culture, and mythology. It’s just really cool to learn about a civilization that lasted for over 1,000 years.