The world of practicing medicine is a large one, with many different areas and specialties. This can naturally translate well into a board game setting, as these various different areas of medicine can all be looked at with a competitive, fun eye. Anything from performing surgery to identifying various diseases based on a patient’s symptoms have been tapped for board games and all of these games have proven to be not only great fun, but sometimes even educational. Anyone who is seeking to play a game of skill while still learning should look to one of these medically-oriented games.

One of the most classic board games which features medicine heavily would be Operation. This game, which has been around since 1965, allows players to simulate a surgical procedure. Much like the wire loop electric games which are popular at fairgrounds, this game tests a player’s skill with maneuvering around certain obstacles to complete the task. In the case of this game, however, this takes the form of performing surgery on “Cavity Sam,” the poor patient who is being plagued by a number of troubles.

The board is a picture of Cavity Sam laying out on an operating table, with openings in the board to represent different areas of his body which need an operation. Inside of these areas are differently shaped plastic pieces, which are his “afflictions.” The object of the game is for the player to use the tweezers to successfully remove the ailment from Sam’s body.

The skill level comes into play when you use the metallic tweezers, which are connected to the board with a wire. The edges of the opening in Sam, in turn, are metallic, and if the edges of the tweezers touch the metal side of the opening at any point during the medical extraction, an electric current is completed. This will cause the bright red nose on Sam’s body to light up and a buzzing sound is made. This player then forfeits his turn.

The object of the game is to collect the most money by performing successful surgeries on Sam. Each player will draw a card on his or her turn, which lists a certain ailment and the amount of money that the player will receive for successfully performing that surgery. Whichever player, at the end of the game, has earned the most money will win the game.

Infection is another medically-based board game, this one based much on the knowledge one has about different diseases and ailments. This game has players racing around the board, trying to catch different diseases which are left in public places or obtained from other players. If players are then able to make it to a medical station and correctly identify the disease by diagnosing the symptoms, they score points and advance within the game. If a player fails to make a proper diagnosis, he or she is stuck with that disease. They will then have to figure out another approach to curing their disease before it brings them down and out of the game. This game takes a more educational approach than Operation does, while still providing all of the thrill and the fun!

Wildcraft! is an interesting game in this genre. It is a game for 1-4 players, with an age-range of 4 to adult. In this game, children learn about medicinal herbs and plants. The game teaches your children about how to use various herbs and other plants as a means of providing first-aid. So, the knowledge gained from this game may even help save a life someday! As a bonus, owners of the game can download an additional storyline from the company’s website.