Health Care Roles Defined
There are several categories of health care careers. The most commonly recognized roles are:
Primary care practitioners: diagnose and prescribe treatment; includes M.D.s, dentists, chiropractors, and veterinarians
Partners and associates: work side by side with the primary care practitioners to provide primary treatment; includes nurses and physician assistants
The rehab team: provides rehabilitative treatment; includes physical, occupational, and speech therapists
Assistants and aides: help the team to provide bedside care, personal care, and other assistive services; includes physical therapy aides, certified occupational aides, and certified nurses' aides
Administrative team members: manage facilities and personnel
Other roles for health care workers include such fields as medical writers and illustrators, biomedical engineers, athletic trainers, medical records technicians and information technologists, medical librarians, phlebotomists and laboratory technicians, radiology technologists and x-ray technicians, sonographers, health insurance reps, and genetic counselors, among others.
