Vocabulary · Jobs
Medical jobs in English
B1
Medical jobs in English: doctors and surgeons, nurses and paramedics, dentists and eye specialists, therapists, pharmacists and vets, with the UK and US names. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Doctors
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| doctor(n.)“I need to see a doctor.” | a person who treats sick people | /ˈdɒktə/ |
| GP (general practitioner)(n.)“Make an appointment with your GP.” | a family doctor for common problems | /ˌdʒiː ˈpiː/ |
| specialist(n.) | a doctor for one part of the body | /ˈspeʃəlɪst/ |
| surgeon(n.)“She's a heart surgeon.” | a doctor who does operations | /ˈsɜːdʒən/ |
| paediatrician(n.) | a doctor for children | /ˌpiːdiəˈtrɪʃn/ |
| pediatrician(n.) | a doctor for children | /ˌpiːdiəˈtrɪʃn/ |
| cardiologist(n.) | a heart doctor | /ˌkɑːdiˈɒlədʒɪst/ |
| psychiatrist(n.) | a doctor for mental illness | /saɪˈkaɪətrɪst/ |
Nursing and care
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| nurse(n.)“The nurse took my temperature.” | a person who helps doctors and patients | /nɜːs/ |
| paramedic(n.) | a person who gives help in an ambulance | /ˌpærəˈmedɪk/ |
| midwife(n.) | a person who helps women give birth | /ˈmɪdwaɪf/ |
| caregiver(n.) | someone who looks after ill or old people | /ˈkeəɡɪvə/ |
| carer(n.) | someone who looks after ill or old people | /ˈkeərə/ |
| first responder(n.) | a police officer, firefighter or paramedic in emergencies | /ˌfɜːst rɪˈspɒndə/ |
Teeth and eyes
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| dentist(n.)“I have a dentist appointment.” | a doctor for your teeth | /ˈdentɪst/ |
| orthodontist(n.) | a specialist who makes teeth straight | /ˌɔːθəˈdɒntɪst/ |
| dental hygienist(n.) | a person who cleans your teeth | /ˌdentl haɪˈdʒiːnɪst/ |
| optician(n.) | a person who checks eyes and sells glasses | /ɒpˈtɪʃn/ |
| ophthalmologist(n.) | a doctor for eye diseases | /ˌɒfθælˈmɒlədʒɪst/ |
| optometrist(n.) | a person who tests your eyesight | /ɒpˈtɒmətrɪst/ |
Therapists
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| physiotherapist(n.) | a person who treats injuries with exercise | /ˌfɪziəʊˈθerəpɪst/ |
| physical therapist(n.) | a person who treats injuries with exercise | /ˌfɪzɪkl ˈθerəpɪst/ |
| physio(n.) | a person who treats injuries with exercise | /ˈfɪziəʊ/ |
| speech therapist(n.) | a person who helps people speak better | /spiːtʃ ˈθerəpɪst/ |
| psychologist(n.) | a person who helps with feelings and behaviour | /saɪˈkɒlədʒɪst/ |
| therapist(n.) | a person who treats problems, often by talking | /ˈθerəpɪst/ |
| osteopath(n.) | a person who treats back pain by hand | /ˈɒstiəpæθ/ |
| chiropractor(n.) | a person who treats the spine by hand | /ˈkaɪrəʊpræktə/ |
Pharmacy and laboratory
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| pharmacist(n.)“Ask the pharmacist for advice.” | a person who prepares and sells medicine | /ˈfɑːməsɪst/ |
| chemist(n.) | a medicine seller (UK); a scientist (US) | /ˈkemɪst/ |
| lab technician(n.) | a person who does medical tests on samples | /læb tekˈnɪʃn/ |
| radiologist(n.) | a doctor who reads X-rays and scans | /ˌreɪdiˈɒlədʒɪst/ |
| biologist(n.) | a scientist who studies living things | /baɪˈɒlədʒɪst/ |
Animal doctors
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| vet (veterinarian)(n.)“I'm taking my dog to the vet.” | a doctor for animals | /vet/ |
| veterinary surgeon(n.) | a doctor for animals | /ˈvetnri ˌsɜːdʒən/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Doctor or professor?
Doctor first means a medical doctor. It can also mean a person with a doctorate (the highest university degree), like Dr Smith at a university. A university teacher is a professor (or a lecturer in the UK), not a doctor.
Physiotherapist (UK) or physical therapist (US)?
UK: physiotherapist (one word) or physio. US: physical therapist (two words) or PT. It is the same job with two names, depending on the country.
Chemist (UK) = a shop that sells medicine
In the UK, chemist can mean (1) the shop that sells medicine (Boots is a well-known chemist's) or (2) the person who works there. In the US, a chemist is a scientist who studies chemistry. The person who sells medicine in the US is a pharmacist.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between doctor and physician?+
Doctor is the everyday word, and it is also a title (Dr Jones). Physician is more formal and is used mostly in American English. Compare I went to the doctor (everyday) and The physician prescribed some medicine (formal). You can use doctor everywhere.
Why do British people say chemist and Americans say pharmacist?+
It comes from history. In the UK, the person who prepared medicines was traditionally called a chemist, and the word stayed. In the US, people say pharmacist. Today, in the UK, chemist can mean the shop (the chemist's) or the person, and British people also say pharmacist for the person.
What does GP mean?+
GP means general practitioner: a family doctor for all common health problems. In the UK (with the NHS, the public health service), your GP is the first doctor you see, and they can send you to a specialist if necessary. In the US, people usually say primary care doctor or family doctor.
Is it paediatrician or pediatrician?+
Both are correct. Paediatrician (with ae) is the British spelling and pediatrician (with e only) is the American spelling. It is the same job: a doctor for children. The same is true for paediatrics (UK) and pediatrics (US).
Is it vet or veterinary surgeon?+
Vet is the short, everyday word. The full name is veterinarian in American English and veterinary surgeon in British English. In daily life, say vet: I'm taking my cat to the vet. Use the full name in official texts.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/medical-jobs
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.