A gerontologist studies the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, and societal effects of the aging process on the human body. Gerontologists are health care professionals who specialize in working with elderly patients. They provide their services to people in nursing homes, senior citizen centers, and other similar facilities.

Medical assistants perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of a physician. Duties may include scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, and billing and coding information for insurance purposes. Clinical duties may include taking and recording vital signs and medical histories, preparing patients for examinations and drawing blood.

Physician assistants provide health care services under a physician’s supervision. They perform tasks that are usually performed by doctors. They conduct physical exams and provide treatment, and counsel patients. Physician assistants may prescribe medications.

Academic pharmacists train future pharmacists and conduct research. They share pharmaceutical knowledge and information with other health care professionals and students. Academic pharmacists speak at industry events and contribute to science and education publications. They may have some direct contact with patients.

Clinical pharmacists practice in health care settings directly with health professionals and patients to ensure that the medications prescribed for patients contribute to the best possible health outcomes. They assess the status of the patient’s health problems and determine whether the prescribed medications are optimally meeting the patient’s needs and goals of care and consult with the patient’s physicians and other health care providers in selecting the medication therapy that best meets the patient’s needs and contributes effectively to the overall therapy goals. Clinical pharmacists also educate the patient on other important steps to improve or maintain health, such as exercise, diet, and preventive steps like immunization.

Medical science liaisons are involved with research and development, drug safety, regulatory affairs, and marketing and sales. They keep health care providers and researchers update on latest research, attend conferences, and present new product information to physicians.

Pharmacists are responsible for filling patients’ prescriptions with the correct medicines. They tell them about the medicines and how to use them. Pharmacists work with doctors on choosing the right medicines, making sure they will work with other medications taken by the patient and explaining side effects.

Pharmacy aides will receive, store and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for outdated medications and notify the pharmacist when inventory levels are low. They may prepare prescription labels, answer customer calls and refer callers to the pharmacist. They may operate a cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.

Pharmacy managers help ensure customers get the medicine they need and that it is properly filled following the doctors orders. Typically, a pharmacy manager oversees one particular store, but there are positions in which they manage multiple locations. Along with ensuring their pharmacy complies with federal and state regulations, pharmacy managers must ensure staff communicate clearly, effectively, and positively with customers. It is up to the pharmacy manager to instruct and monitor employees to ensure they are professional and courteous in all interactions. They must train their staff to prioritize orders and deliver them within the allotted time frames. Teaching staff how to effectively deal with doctors and medical practitioners is essential as well.

Pharmacy technicians receive prescriptions or refill requests and make sure information is complete and accurate. They might measure, count out, label and record the amounts and doses of medicines, and also make sure drugs are stored and secured correctly.

Athletic trainers help prevent injuries among athletes and help them recover from injuries. They are health care professionals that diagnose and treat injuries caused by stress to the musculoskeletal system. They are also trained to teach injury prevention methods to people who work in jobs that have a high demand of physical activity.

Occupational therapists (OTs) use practical movement and exercise to rehabilitate patients with disabilities or injuries. Therapists may also design work or home environments to suit an individual’s needs, thereby enabling them to succeed in daily care activities and in the workplace.

Occupational therapy assistants assist occupational therapists in treating patients. They help patients improve their lives and perform daily tasks. They could help a person learn how to move from a bed to a wheelchair or help an injured worker re-learn how he can perform his job. OT assistants also make sure exercises are done correctly and provide assistance.

Physical therapist assistants assist the physical therapist in treating patients. They may help them exercise, apply hot or cold packs, or perform special ultrasound or electrical treatments. They may help patients increase their strength and assist in developing treatment plans or keep track of the patient’s progress.

Physical therapists assess patients and create plans to help them improve their movement, relieve pain and increase strength. They evaluate the effects of treatment and adjust to maximize the benefits. Physical therapists also test the patient’s strength, motor skills and functions, sensory perceptions, respiratory or circulatory efficiency and show patients how to perform the prescribed exercises and review progress. Physical therapists help decrease or prevent problems due to disease or injury.

Physical therapy aides clean and set up the treatment area, move patients and perform clerical duties.

Physical therapy aides clean and set up the treatment area, move patients and perform clerical duties.

Respiratory therapists work under a physician’s supervision to take care of patients with lung problems. The patients might have chronic asthma or have suffered a heart attack, stroke or other disease or illness.

Respiratory therapy technicians assist respiratory therapists with monitoring patients and performing diagnostic tests.