Glossary
of Pediatric Clinicians
Here are definitions for many of the clinicians
(health care professionals) who provide care for
pediatric patients.
Need to Define a Term NOT Here? Perhaps try one of the
online dictionaries:
-
dictionary.com (also provides translations for
various languages)
-
webmd.com (use search feature for medical
terminology and disease information)
a b
c d e f
g h i
j k l m
n o p q
r s t u
v w x y z
A
Anesthesiologist
A doctor who is specially trained to give anesthesia,
which is the medicine given to relieve pain.
Attending
A faculty level physician on staff at UNC in charge of
the general care of the patient or acting as a
consultant for specialized care. All attendings are
members of the UNC School of Medicine.
C
Cardiologist
A doctor who specializes in the treatment of the
heart.
Clinician
A health care professional (may be a medical doctor,
specialized nurse, etc.). A patient may have a number
of clinicians treating him or her.
E
Endocrinologist
A doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and
treatment of disorders of the glands, for example,
diabetes or thyroid disorders.
F
Faculty
Clinicians involved in teaching health care
professionals. All faculty at UNC Hospitals are
members of the UNC School of Medicine.
Fellow
A physician who is doing special training (called a
fellowship) to further develop skills in a particular
medical specialty.
G
Geneticist
Medical doctor who specializes in the care of
individuals with genetic problems. Genes are the unit
in the chromosome that contains the blueprint for
making a protein. Genes are responsible for
transmission of inherited characteristics.
H
Hematologist
A doctor who specializes in blood problems.
I
Intensivist
A critical care physician whose medical practice is
focused entirely on the care of critically ill and
injured patients.
Intern
A medical doctor who has completed medical school and
is in their first year of specialty training. An
intern always works under the supervision of an
attending.
L
Lactation Consultant
A professional who is trained to help mothers who want
to breastfeed their babies.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
An individual who has completed a program in nursing
and is licensed to provide basic care under the
supervision of a doctor or registered nurse.
M
Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Physicians
OB/GYN doctors who specialize in the care of both
mother and fetus in high-risk pregnancies; they are
sometimes called perinatologists.
N
Neonatologist
A pediatrician who specializes in the care of
premature babies (a baby born before the end of the
37th week of pregnancy; also called preemie or preterm
baby) and critically ill newborn babies.
Nephrologist
A physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating
diseases of the kidney.
Neurologist
A physician who specializes in treating and diagnosing
disorders of the nervous system and brain.
Neurosurgeon
A doctor who specializes in surgery of the brain and
spinal cord.
Nurse Practitioner
A registered nurse who has received specialized
training in diagnosing and treating illnesses and
providing health care maintenance. Nurse practitioners
always work under the supervision of a physician in
delivering medical care.
O
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
(OB/GYN)
A physician who specializes in women’s reproductive
health issues, both medically and surgically.
Oncologist
A physician who specializes in the study of cancer and
related diseases, including noncancerous lumps.
Orthopedic Surgeon
A surgeon who specializes in the care and problems of
the muscles and bones.
P
Pediatrician
A physician who specializes in the development, care
and diseases of children.
Perinatologist
An obstetrician who specializes in high-risk
pregnancy, also called a maternal-fetal medicine
specialist.
Physician (MD)
A medical doctor who is trained and licensed to
practice medicine.
Physician Assistant (PA)
An individual who has taken specialized training to
perform a defined area of medical care. PAs always
work under the supervision of a physician.
Public Health Nurse
A specially trained nurse who visits parents and their
baby at home after the baby is discharged from the
hospital.
R
Registered Nurse (RN)
A graduate nurse who has passed a state board
examination and been registered and licensed to
practice nursing.
Resident
A doctor who has completed medical school and is
receiving further specialty training. An intern is a
first year resident. A resident always works under the
supervision of an attending physician.
Respiratory Therapist
An individual who has had specialized training to
assist in treating breathing problems.
S
Social Worker
A licensed professional who gives families emotional
support, help in adjusting to hospitalization, help
planning for hospital discharge, and referral to
community resources. Social work services are
available to all families with babies in the Neonatal
Critical Care Center (NCCC). The NCCC is a special
place in the NC Children’ s Hospital for sick and
premature infants.
Surgeon
A doctor trained to perform surgery.
U
Urologist
A surgeon who specializes in the care of problems with
the kidneys and bladder. |
