Health occupations
Chiropractors
Chiropractors treat problems with bones, muscles and joints by moving or massaging people’s bodies and giving them exercises and other advice. They are different from osteopaths, who have a more holistic focus on the whole body, and from physiotherapists, who can diagnose issues and give clinical care.
Dentists
Dentists treat teeth and gums. They do checkups and cleaning, fix problems like cavities, and give advice about looking after your teeth and gums.
Doctors (GPs)
General Practitioners (GPs) are the main doctor people go to for checkups, advice, prescriptions and to get referrals to specialists.
Midwives
Midwives support people through pregnancy and birth. They give information and advice. They can deliver babies and help look after the health of pregnancies and babies. Midwives are different from obstetricians, who are the doctors that specialise in pregnancy and birth.
Nurses
Nurses work in many different health and community settings, providing care and supporting other health professionals. Things nurses might do include checking pulse, blood pressure and temperature, giving or helping people take their medication, and helping people with personal care.
Occupational therapists
Occupational therapists (OTs) help people to do everyday activities. They can help with both physical and mental health. They might work with people who have had an injury or illness or who have disability. They are different from physiotherapists, who focus more on movement, strength and pain management.
Optometrists
Optometrists specialise in eye care and vision problems and diseases. People go to optometrists to check their eyesight, to get glasses, or if they have other problems with their eyes that don’t need a different specialist.
Osteopaths
Osteopaths treat pain, injuries and problems with movement by working with the whole body. They are different from chiropractors, who focus on bones, joints and musculature, and physiotherapists, who can diagnose issues and give clinical care.
Paramedics
Paramedics respond to emergencies and provide urgent care. Paramedics often work in ambulances as well as in other settings like at events (like festivals) or at certain worksites like mines.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists prepare and dispense medications and may give advice about using medications. They often are in pharmacies/chemists, where people go to get prescriptions filled and to get ‘over the counter’ medications.
Physiotherapists
Physiotherapists treat problems with movement, pain and function in the body. People see physiotherapists for a range of reasons such as recovering from injury, preventing injury and managing chronic health conditions. They can assess and diagnose issues and provide care and advice.
They are different from occupational therapists, who focus more on functional living, and exercise physiologists, who focus more on using exercise to help with rehabilitation and managing chronic conditions.
They are different from chiropractors and osteopaths, who don’t give clinical care or diagnosis.
Podiatrists
Podiatrists are experts in foot care. They help with injuries and pain, and structural problems with feet.
Psychologists
Psychologists help people with their mental health conditions or issues and can also makes assessments and diagnoses. Their treatment is not medical (although it is common for them to treat people who also take medication or get other medical mental health support from a doctor or psychiatrist). They are APRHA-registered and are accessed through a referral, unlike psychotherapists.
Radiographers
Radiographers take medical images like x-rays, CT scans, MRIs and mammographs. They are different from radiologists, who interpret the medical images to diagnose and treat diseases and injuries.
Sonographers
Sonographers perform ultrasound examinations.
Surgeons
Surgeons are doctors who perform operations. This can include examining and talking to patients before their operations and managing care after the operation.
