America's Health Care Heroes live and work in communities around
the country - in rural, frontier, and urban areas. They come to
the rescue by delivering primary health care services in underserved
communities. They bring health and hope to the millions of children
and adults who live in places where health professionals are hard
to find.
They are the men and women of the National Health Service Corps.
Right now, more than 4,000 NHSC clinicians serve nearly 4 million
Americans. Together with caring community leaders, health administrators,
educators, and local governments, they represent an extraordinary
group of dedicated and highly skilled health professionals committed
to bringing quality health care to the Nation's areas of greatest
need.
The NHSC is supported and represented by a wide range of professionals
and organizations, such as:
Primary Care Physicians
Primary care physicians apply their knowledge in the biological,
clinical, and behavioral sciences to their practices, which encompass
all ages, both sexes, each organ system, and every disease entity.
Primary care physicians serve as advocates for patients and their
families in health-related matters and arrange for specialist
referrals, health consultants, and other community resources when
necessary.
We are looking for physicians from the following disciplines:
| Family medicine |
Obstetrics/gynecology |
| General internal medicine |
General psychiatry |
| General pediatrics |
|
Physician Assistants
Formally educated and nationally certified, physician assistants
(PAs) provide a broad scope of medical, diagnostic, therapeutic
and preventive services while exercising a high level of autonomy.
PAs are qualified to acquire a patient's medical history, execute
comprehensive physical examinations and minor surgical procedures,
order and complete routine diagnostic tests, develop diagnostic
and management plans, treat patients with common illnesses, and
counsel patients on health promotion and disease prevention. They
also facilitate referral to community health and social services
agencies.
Nurse Practitioners
Trained to take principal responsibility for the diagnosis and
management of uncomplicated illnesses, nurse practitioners (NPs)
provide a full range of primary care services in the community
setting and make decisions about their patients' nursing needs.
They spend more time with patients, providing education and counseling
on health promotion and disease prevention. NPs implement community
programs dealing with nutrition, self-help or group therapy, parenting,
and stress reduction. They collaborate with other health professionals
regarding patient management decisions, other health needs, and
referrals.
Certified Nurse-Midwives
CNMs are advanced practice nurses who have completed graduate
studies in nursing, women's health care, and midwifery. In addition
to delivering babies, CNMs provide family-centered care to women
in the childbearing years and their infants. Highly skilled health
professionals, CNMs independently manage the care of healthy women
and newborns and act as affiliates with physicians for consultation
and patient referrals.
Dentists
In conjunction with other members of the primary health care team,
dentists make oral health an integral part of total health care.
In addition to prevention and early detection of gum disease,
tooth loss and oral cancer, dentists also diagnose oral conditions,
develop treatment plans, administer anesthetics, treat diseased
gums, and provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing and
other preventive techniques.
Dental Hygienists
Dental hygienists work with dentists and other health professionals
to provide clinical and therapeutic services to help prevent oral
diseases. Their responsibilities include examining and cleaning
teeth and oral structures, applying cavity-preventive agents,
implementing community dental health programs, and instructing
patients about proper care of the teeth and mouth.
Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals
Mental and behavioral health professionals, including health service
psychologists, clinical social workers, licensed professional
counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychiatric nurse
specialists, provide continuous, holistic services, promoting
mental health among individuals and families. They are knowledgeable
about the biological aspects of mental illness as well as accompanying
emotional and behavioral responses. They are trained and certified
to prevent, detect, and treat mental, behavioral, and emotional
disorders. Services they provide include crisis intervention,
counseling, health promotion, and health maintenance activities.
