Types of Clinicians
Many different types of clinicians practice at Valley Medical Center. Here is a partial list:
An Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) is a registered nurse who has advanced education and clinical training in a healthcare specialty area such as pediatrics, surgery, family medicine, women's health, or geriatrics. ARNPs have passed a certification exam in their specialty area. At Valley Medical Center ARNPs work under the supervision of a physician. They perform physical exams, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret tests, and provide health and wellness education.
A Midwife provides the mother-to-be and her family with highly personalized attention, education, counseling and obstetric care throughout pregnancy, labor, delivery and recovery. Viewing non-complicated childbirth as a natural, healthy process, midwives encourage patients to trust their instincts and to let nature take its course, focusing attention on the mother-to-be. Midwives support women to be active decision-makers and partners in their care.
Doctors of Osteopathy, along with MDs (also called allopaths), are graduates of 4-year medical schools. They may undertake additional study in surgery, obstetrics, family medicine, or other types of care. Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health and receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system.
Doctors of Medicine are graduates of 4-year medical schools who may undergo additional education—often 3 years or more—at a teaching hospital. About one-third of the nation’s MDs are “primary care” physicians in such fields as family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. These doctors are trained to provide the wide range of services children and adults need. When patients' specific health needs require further treatment, these physicians send them to see specialists in such fields as surgery, oncology, and cardiology.
A Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed healthcare professional who practices medicine under the supervision of a physician. Physician assistants working at Valley Medical Center may conduct physical exams, diagnose and treat illness, order and interpret tests, suture wounds, and develop and carry out treatment plans. In Washington State, PAs can also prescribe medication and treat patients when the physician is away from the practice.
Clinical psychologists associated with Valley Medical Center have received doctoral degrees from graduate institutions. They are concerned with diagnosing and treating diseases of the brain, emotional disturbances, and behavior problems. They may possess additional qualifications such as board certification in a particular type of therapy. Psychologists can use talk therapy as treatment.