This is a short summary of some of the different medical specialties. It does not intend to cover every single field and it gives only a very short description of the different areas.
Doctor, Dentist, Chiropractors, Nurses, LVN (License vocational nurses), PA (Physician Assistants), Dental hygienist, X ray techs, Physical Therapist, ultrasound techs etc.
Doctors: 4 years, internship, residency 3 to 5 years, PhD 1 more year
- Medical field: do not do surgical procedures. – Family Practice, General practice, Family Medicine
Internal Medicine: Private practice or Hospitalist. Hospitalist are employed by a hospital and see patients that are admitted to the hospital for different diseases or have had surgery.
Cardiologist – No intervention
Intervention Cardiology. They do procedures that are not surgical.
Oncologist: Cancer treatment
Pathologist: Laboratory, tissue Diagnostic for infection, Cancer and others.
Anesthesia
Radiology
Pain and Rehabilitation
Gerontology: Old people diseases.
Neurology: Epilepsy, nerve diseases, headaches, sciatica, low back pain, dementia, Alzheimer
Psychiatry: mental diseases such as depression, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia
Pediatrics: Children. Same fields as above
- Surgical field: Do surgeries. – General surgery: mostly abdominal surgery, hernias, appendicitis, colon, gallbladdder attacks, Cancers
Orthopedic Surgery: Bones, muscles, joints, tendon injuries, joint replacements, fracture care (broken bones)
Neurosurgery: Spine and Brain surge
Urology: Kidney, bladder, prostate, kidney transplants
Cardiovascular surgery: Stents, open heart, heart transplants
Trauma surgery: Accidents, GSW, knife wounds
Vascular surgery: Veins, arteries, blood clots
Thoracic surgery: Lungs
Obstetrics: Takes care of pregnant women and delivery. They do Cesarean sections (C section) which delivers the baby via surgery and Gynecology: Takes care of women medical problems outside of pregnancy
- Nursing: 3 to 4 years to become RN. (Register Nurse).
Administration
Hospital: regular nurse on the floor
Intensive Care Unit nurse: Take care of severely ill patients.
Pre op and post op nurse.
Surgical hospital nurse: Scrub Nurse: Helps the surgeon by handing the different instruments needed to do the surgery.
Circulator nurse: Passes the instruments to the scrub nurse.
Surgery Center: Ambulatory surgery
Hospice care: for terminally ill patients
Nurse Anesthetist: Gives anesthesia to the patients under the supervision of an Anesthesiologist (M.D.)
Nurse Practitioner: 2 more years of training. They are more like doctors. They can work in
Schools
Clinics
Doctors’ offices
Assist doctors in surgery, make rounds, admit and discharge patients, see patients in Emergency Room, do minor surgeries in certain situations.
Physician Assistants (PA) 2 to 3 years of training. Like NP but more limited practice.
Psychology: Similar to Psychiatry but can’t prescribe medication
Chiropractors: 3 years of training. Do treat by manipulations, massage.
Dentists: 5 years of training. Different subspecialties
Dental hygienist: 1 to 2 years of training
X ray technician: 2 to 4 years of training. Limited certificate, 2 years they do bones and joints mostly.
Full training: 4 years
Additional training for MRI, CAT scan, PET scan techs.
Ultrasound techs: Newer, high demand
Physical Therapy: 2 to 3 years of training after a BS
Midwives: RN or just Midwife. Helps delivering babies
LVN (license vocational nurses): Less responsibilities than RN, 2 years of training
Orderlies: Clean the hospitals rooms, the surgery suites, transport patients. Has the advantage of being able to see what is going on in different operating rooms
VETERINARY: Take care of animals