• Share responsibility for delivery of health services
• Have generally received a certificate, associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, or postbaccalaureate training in a science related to health care and have met all state requirements concerning licensure, certification, and registration.

Listed below are a few of the licensed, certified, and registered health care practitioners who work with physicians, dentists, and/or other professionals in providing services to patients in medical offices, dental offices, hospitals, clinics, hospices, extended-care facilities, community programs, schools, and other health care settings. A brief description of each profession is given. When both technicians and technologists are included in the description of a profession, technologists perform duties at a higher level of expertise than technicians. They have either taken a more extensive course of study than technicians or have acquired qualifying experience. Since educational and credentialing requirements are subject to change, this information should be obtained from national organizations representing the profession and/or from state credentialing authorities.

The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) was established in 1994. CAAHEP accredits more than 2000 programs in 21 allied health professions throughout the United States and Canada. CAAHEP provides information concerning duties, education requirements, and sources for further information about allied health professions and the location of schools offering the accredited programs. Professions marked with an asterisk below are currently included in the list of CAAHEP accredited programs.

*ANESTHESIOLOGIST ASSISTANT. The anesthesiologist assistant assists the anesthesiologist in developing and implementing an anesthesia care plan. Duties can include pre-operative and post-operative tasks, as well as operating room assistance.

*ATHLETIC TRAINER. The athletic trainer works with attending and/or consulting physicians as an integral part of the health care team associated with physical training and sports.

AUDIOLOGIST. Audiologists are educated in the science of hearing and are qualified to test patients' hearing and to prescribe some types of therapy for hearing problems.

*CARDIOVASCULAR TECHNOLOGIST. The cardiovascular technologist works under the supervision of physicians to perform diagnostic and therapeutic examinations in the cardiology (heart) and vascular (circulation) areas.

*CLINICAL EXERCISE SPECIALIST. The clinical exercise specialist is a professional competent in graded exercise testing, exercise prescription, exercise leadership, emergency procedures, and health education for patients with cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic diseases, as well as other diseases and disabilities. These positions require a minimum of a master’s degree.

*CYTOTECHNOLOGIST. Cytology is the study of the structure and function of cells. Cytotechnologists work with pathologists to microscopically examine body cells, in order to detect changes that may help to diagnosis cancer and other diseases.

DENTAL HYGIENIST. Dental hygienists perform clinical and educational duties related to hygiene of the mouth and teeth, usually for dentist/employers within a dental office. They may work for one dentist or dental clinic or for several dentists at varying locations.

*DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHER. The diagnostic medical sonographer administers ultrasound examinations under the supervision of a physician responsible for the use and interpretation of ultrasound procedures.

DIETICIAN AND NUTRITIONIST. These specialists work closely with physicians and other medical practitioners to educate and assist patients with special dietary and nutritional needs.

ECG TECHNICIAN. Electric activity of the heart is measured and recorded by electrocardiographic equipment operated by ECG (electrocardiogram) technicians under the supervision of physicians.

EEG TECHNICIAN AND TECHNOLOGIST. Electroencephalography is the recording and study of the electrical activity of the brain. EEG (electroencephalogram) technicians and technologists work under the supervision of physicians to operate EEG equipment used to perform patient diagnostic tests.

*ELECTRONEURODIAGNOSTIC TECHNOLOGIST. Electroneurodiagnostic technology involves the study and recording of the electrical activity of the brain and nervous system. Electroneurodiagnostic technologists work in collaboration with EEG technicians and technologists.

*EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN-PARAMEDIC. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), or paramedics, most often work from an ambulance or in a hospital emergency room, providing life-support care to critically ill and injured patients.

*HEALTH AND FITNESS SPECIALIST. Health and fitness specialists are professionals qualified to assess, design, and implement individual and group exercise and fitness programs for healthy people and people with controlled diseases. The profession requires a minimum of an associate’s degree.

HEALTH INFORMATION ADMINISTRATOR. Entry level jobs depend upon education, work experience and place of employment. (Most health information administrators have worked as health information technicians.) Duties are related to the management of health information and systems used to collect, store, process, retrieve, analyze, disseminate, and communicate health information. Health information administrator requires a four-year bachelor’s degree.

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNICIAN. Health information technicians must have a two-year associate degree. Common job titles for health information technicians include coder, medical record technician, abstractor, supervisor, and so on.

*KINESIOTHERAPIST. Kinesiology is the study of muscles and muscle movement. Kinesiotherapists work under a physician's supervision, using therapeutic exercise and education to treat the effects of disease, injury and congenital disorders on body movement.

LPN/LVN. Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) perform many of the same duties as registered nurses, with some exceptions, depending upon state law. LPNs and LVNs work under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses.

*MEDICAL ASSISTANT. Medical assistants perform administrative and clinical duties for physician/employers, usually within an ambulatory-care setting, such as a medical office, clinic, or outpatient surgical center. The certified medical assistant (CMA) credential is earned through the certifying board of the American Association of Medical Assistants. The registered medical assistant (RMA) credential is obtained through the American Medical Technologists (AMT) organization. Both credentials involve specific educational requirements and require applicants to pass an examination assessing knowledge and skills. The CMA credential also requires continuing education in order to maintain the certification.

*MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR. Medical illustrators must be knowledgeable in the biological sciences, anatomy, physiology, pathology, general medical knowledge, and the visual arts. They create illustrations for science and medical texts and other publications, and they also function in administrative, consultative and advisory capacities.

MEDICAL LABORATORY TECHNICIAN AND MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIST. Duties of medical technicians include performing simple tests in hematology, serology, blood banking, urinalysis, microbiology, and clinical chemistry. Medical technologists have completed a longer training course than laboratory technicians. They supervise technicians and assistants and perform more complicated analytical laboratory tests.

MEDICAL MASSAGE THERAPIST. Massage therapists learn techniques to relieve pain from injuries, illnesses or chronic conditions, to increase range of motion in joints, and to otherwise help patients with recovery and rehabilitation through body massage. National Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork requires at least 500 hours of formal training at an established school of massage therapy and passing the national examination offered by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. Medical massage therapists are supervised by physicians and employed by medical offices, hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities and other health care businesses. Licensed massage therapists may also establish their own businesses.

MEDICAL TRANSCRIPTIONIST. Medical transcriptionists key material dictated by physicians, to be placed with patients' medical records. They must have preparation in English grammar, anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology. They work in medical records departments in hospitals, managed care plan facilities, nursing homes, and ambulatory-care facilities such as clinics, medical offices, and outpatient surgical centers. Transcriptionists with advanced skills may be self-employed.

NURSE PRACTITIONER. Those individuals who have earned a registered nurse (RN) license may be admitted to university programs to become a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are skilled in physical diagnosis, psychosocial assessment, and primary health care management. They may work independently, in collaboration with a physician, or under the supervision of a physician.

NURSING ASSISTANT. Nursing assistants provide basic patient care under the supervision of registered nurses. Routine duties include changing bed linens; taking temperature, respiratory, and blood pressure readings for patients; bathing patients and helping with personal care; helping patients with eating, walking, and exercise programs; and supporting patients when they are allowed to get out of bed. Employment opportunities exist in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other health care institutions.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST. An occupational therapist enters the field with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree. Occupational therapists (OTs) work with clients who are mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabled to help these individuals become more independent and productive.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT. An occupational therapy assistant enters the field with a two-year associate’s degree. Occupational therapy assistants work under the supervision of licensed occupational therapists.

*OPHTHALMIC MEDICAL TECHNICIAN/TECHNOLOGIST. Ophthalmic medical technicians and technologists assist ophthalmologists (medical doctors who specialize in diseases and conditions of the eye) by performing such tasks as collecting data, administering diagnostic tests, and administering some treatments ordered by the supervising ophthalmologist. They may also maintain surgical instruments and office equipment.

OPTICIAN. Opticians are licensed specifically to sell and/or construct optical materials.

OPTOMETRIST. Optometrists are trained and licensed to examine the eyes in order to determine the presence of vision problems and to prescribe and adapt lenses to preserve or restore maximum efficiency of vision.

*ORTHOTIST AND PROSTHETIST. Orthotists and prosthetists work directly with physicians and others to rehabilitate people with disabilities. The orthotist designs and fits devices (orthoses) for patients with disabling conditions of the limbs and spine. The prosthetist designs and fits devices (prostheses) for patients who have partial or total absence of a limb.

*PERFUSIONIST. A perfusionist operates transfusion equipment when necessary and consults with physicians in selecting the appropriate equipment, techniques and transfusion media to be used, depending upon the patient's condition.

PHLEBOTOMIST. Phlebotomists are trained to draw blood from patients or donors for diagnostic testing or other medical purposes. They may also perform related tasks, such as preparing stains and reagents and cleaning and sterilizing equipment; taking patients' blood pressure, pulse, and respiration rates, performing ECGs; and billing, data entry, and answering telephones.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) encourages students to enter physical therapy with a postbaccalaureate degree. (In fact, many colleges and universities are changing their programs from a bachelor’s degree to a postbaccalaureate degree in physical therapy.) Physical therapists help patients restore function to muscles, nerves, joints, and bones after impairment due to illness or injury.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT. Physical therapist assistants work under the supervision of licensed physical therapists in implementing treatment programs according to the patient’s plan of care. Physical therapist assistants must complete a two-year program, usually offered in a community or junior college.

PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT. Physicians employ physician assistants (PAs) to perform many of the routine diagnostic and treatment procedures related to patient care. They can legally perform more procedures than registered nurses and can prescribe some medications, but they are not licensed to perform all the duties of a physician. The typical applicant for a physician assistant program already has a bachelor’s degree and four years of health care practitioner experience. The average physician assistant program runs about 26 months. Graduates must then pass a national certifying examination. Once certified, PAs must complete 100 hours of continuing education every two years, and they must take the PA recertification examination every six years.

*POLYSOMNOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGIST. Polysomnographic technologists work under the supervision of physicians. They perform sleep diagnostics and provide clinical evaluations required for the diagnosis of sleep disorders. Polysomnographic technologists use such equipment as EEG, ECG, electro-occulography (EOG) and electromyography (EMG) monitors.

RADIOLOGIC OR MEDICAL IMAGING TECHNOLOGIST. Radiologic technologists are qualified to position patients for X-rays, operate the X-ray equipment, prepare X-ray films for viewing, and maintain records and images for each patient. In addition to X-ray imaging, these technologists may be trained in additional types of imaging, such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance scans. They cannot interpret images, nor can they inject or otherwise administer drugs necessary for some diagnostic imaging procedures.

REGISTERED NURSE. Registered nurses perform a variety of patient-care duties, such as administering drugs prescribed by the supervising physician, monitoring the cardiovascular and pulmonary status of the critically ill, caring for newborns and their mothers, and assisting surgeons in the operating room. They also supervise LPNs; LVNs; nursing assistant; and other medical office, clinic, or hospital personnel. In addition, they document patient care for physicians and other heath care team members. Nursing education curricula leading to the RN include two-year associate degree and four-year baccalaureate degree programs.

*RESPIRATORY THERAPIST (entry level). Entry-level respiratory therapists are employed by hospitals, nursing care facilities, clinics, physicians’ offices, pulmonary function laboratories, sleep labs, and home care companies. They perform general respiratory care procedures under the supervision of an advanced level respiratory therapist and/or a physician.

*RESPIRATORY THERAPIST (advanced). Advanced-level respiratory therapists assume primary responsibility for all respiratory patient-care procedures to help with breathing disorders. They also supervise entry-level respiratory therapists.

*SPECIALIST IN BLOOD BANK TECHNOLOGY. These specialists must have a bachelor's degree and certification in medical technology and must have completed the required course of study in blood bank technology. They perform both routine and specialized tests in blood bank immunohematology and perform transfusion services.

*SURGICAL TECHNOLOGIST. Surgical technologists work closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and other surgical personnel before, during, and after surgery. They may function as scrub, circulating, and first and second assisting surgical technologist. Duties vary according to assignment.

While a variety of health care practitioners often work together as a team to provide medical care to patients, each individual is legally able to perform only those duties dictated by professional and statutory guidelines. Each health care practitioner is responsible for understanding the laws and rules pertaining to his or her job and for knowing requirements concerning renewal of licenses; recertification; and payment of fees for licensure, certification, and registration.