Monthly Health Care Professionals

Pharmacist

Pharmacists dispense prescription drugs to patients. They provide information about those drugs and help patients understand the instructions their doctors or other health practitioners provided. They monitor their patients' health and progress to make sure their medications are working effectively and safely.

Speech Pathologist

Speech pathologists treat languages and speaking disorders. They are often called speech-langualge pathologists or speech therapists. Speech pathologist interview clients and family memebers. They give oral and written tests. They test for hearing loss, check how muscles are working, and evaluate the clients’ ability to understand language. After diagnosing a disorder, speech pathologists decide how to treat it. They may teach people how to make sounds, work with people who stutter, teach sign language or lip reading, and help people to improve language skills.

Dentist

Dentists diagnose, prevent, and treat problems with teeth or mouth tissue. They remove decay, fill cavities, examine X rays, place protective plastic sealants on children’s teeth, straighten teeth, and repair fractured teeth. They also perform corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum diseases. Dentists extract teeth and make models and measurements for dentures to replace missing teeth. They provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care. They also administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications.

Social Worker

Social workers are skilled professionals who help people function as best they can, given the challenges of their personal situation or environment. They assist individuals, groups, or communities to restore or enhance their capacity for social functioning. The approach to care is oriented toward problem-solving and promoting positive social change.

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists study the frequency and distribution of diseases within human populations and environments.  Specifically, they measure the incidence of disease occurrence and relate it to different characteristics of populations and environments.  Epidemiologists perform research, education, and public health practice in universities, government agencies, international organizations, and private corporations.

Nurse Practitioner

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed advanced education (a minimum of a master's degree) and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions, including chronic illnesses. Nurse practitioners provide a broad range of health care services. They provide some of the same care provided by physicians and maintain close working relationships with physicians. An NP can serve as a patient's regular health care provider.

Family Practice Physician

Physicians examine patients and order lab test. They ask their patients questions to learn about patients’ medical history. Doctors explain test results and review treatment options. If more than one treatment is available, they help patients decide which option to choose. Physicians assign tasks to nurses and other health care workers.