Physician, pathophysiology

Specialist medical practitioners diagnose, treat and prevent illness, injury and other physical or mental impairments in humans using specialised testing, diagnostic, medical, surgical, physical and psychiatric techniques and methods, applying the principles and procedures of modern medicine. They specialise in particular categories of disease, types of patient or methods of treatment, and may provide medical expertise, conduct medical education and carry out research in their chosen area of specialisation.

• conducting physical examinations of patients and interviewing them and their families to determine their health status;
• considering medical information provided by a referring physician or other health and medical professionals;
• ordering specialised diagnostic tests to determine the nature of the disorder;
• prescribing, administering and monitoring patient responses to treatment, medication, anaesthetics, psychotherapy, physical rehabilitation and other preventive and curative measures;
• performing surgical operations of a general or specialised nature;
• identifying and treating complications before, during and after childbirth;
• recording each patient's medical history and exchanging medical information with other health professionals to ensure continuing and comprehensive medical care;
• reporting births, deaths, notifiable diseases and other health indicators to government authorities to meet legal and professional requirements;
• providing information to patients, families or communities on preventive measures, treatment and care for specific conditions;
• performing autopsies to determine the cause of death;
• conducting research into specific disorders and preventive or curative methods and disseminating findings through scientific papers and reports;
• planning and participating in programmes aimed at preventing the occurrence and spread of common diseases.
• Examples of occupations in this unit group:
• Physician, anaesthesiology and intensive care
• Physician, cardiology
• Physician, obstetrics and gynaecology
• Physician, ophthalmology
• Physician, general and clinical pathology
• Physician, preventive military medicine
• Physician, psychiatry
• Physician, diagnostic imaging
• Physician, surgery