Individuals who offer health care and treatment procedures that fall outside the mainstream of conventional medical practice.

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Individuals who specialize in the care of the teeth and associated structures in the oral cavity and provide for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the teeth and gums either as licensed professionals or as support staff.

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Individuals who plan food and nutrition programs and supervise the preparation and serving of meals. They help to prevent and treat illnesses by promoting healthy eating habits and recommending dietary modifications such as the use of less salt for those with high blood pressure or the reduction of fat and sugar intake for those who are overweight. Dietitians manage food service systems for institutions such as hospitals and schools; provide dietetic and nutritional services for individuals served by public health clinics, home health agencies, health maintenance organizations or their own private practice; promote sound eating habits through education; and conduct research.

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Individuals who perform various duties under the direction of a physician or nursing staff in the examination and treatment of patients. Included are home health aides, medical assistants and physician assistants who work directly with physicians, nurses and surgeons; EMTs who provide emergency medical assistance at the scene of an accident or other incident; medical laboratory technicians; and individuals such as diagnostic medical sonographers and nuclear medicine technicians who administer specialized diagnostic tests.

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Individuals who diagnose illnesses and prescribe and administer treatment for people suffering from injury or disease. Physicians examine patients; obtain medical histories; order, perform and interpret diagnostic tests; and counsel patients on diet, hygiene and preventive health care. Surgeons are physicians who specialize in the treatment of injury, disease and deformity through operations. Using a variety of instruments, and with patients under general or local anesthesia, a surgeon corrects physical deformities, repairs bone and tissue after injuries or performs preventive surgeries on patients with debilitating diseases or disorders. Physicians work in one or more specialties including anesthesiology, family and community medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, allergy, cardiology, dermatology, gastroenterology, radiology and surgery.

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Individuals who provide treatment services for people with disabilities, disorders and injuries to relieve pain, develop or restore function, prevent muscular deconditioning and maintain optimum performance.

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Individuals who provide diagnostic, treatment and health care management services for pets, and livestock, zoo, sporting and laboratory animals who have illnesses, injuries or other medical problems. Most veterinarians perform clinical work in private practices and most predominately, or exclusively, treat small animals. Small animal practitioners care for companion animals such as dogs and cats, but also treat birds, reptiles, rabbits and other animals that can be kept as pets. Other veterinarians work in mixed animal practices where they see pigs, goats, sheep and some nondomestic animals in addition to companion animals. A small number of private practice veterinarians work exclusively with large animals, focusing mostly on horses or cows. Some also care for various kinds of food animals. Veterinarians in clinical practice diagnose animal health problems; vaccinate against diseases such as distemper and rabies; medicate animals suffering from infections or illnesses; treat and dress wounds; set fractures; perform surgery; and advise owners about animal feeding, behaviour and breeding.

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