A medic is a person trained to provide

medical care Health care, or healthcare, is the improvement or maintenance of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is deliver ...

, encompassing a wide range of individuals involved in the

diagnosis Diagnosis (: diagnoses) is the identification of the nature and cause of a certain phenomenon. Diagnosis is used in a lot of different academic discipline, disciplines, with variations in the use of logic, analytics, and experience, to determine " ...

, treatment, and management of health conditions. The term can refer to fully qualified

medical practitioners A health professional, healthcare professional (HCP), or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated as HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physi ...

, such as

physicians A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the study, diagnosis, prognosis ...

, as well as individuals in training, such as

medical students A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...

. It also includes

emergency medical responders Emergency medical responders (EMRs) are people who are specially trained to provide out-of-hospital care in medical emergency, medical emergencies, typically before the arrival of an ambulance. Specifically used, an emergency medical responder is ...

, such as

paramedics A paramedic is a healthcare professional trained in the medical model, whose main role has historically been to respond to emergency calls for medical help outside of a hospital. Paramedics work as part of the emergency medical services (EMS), m ...

and combat medics, who provide urgent care in pre-hospital or battlefield settings.

Types

The following individuals and positions are considered medics in many jurisdictions: * Emergency physician – A medical doctor (MD or DO) who has undergone specialized postgraduate training in emergency medicine. These professionals work in emergency departments worldwide, providing rapid diagnosis and treatment of acute illnesses and injuries. * Physician – Physicians, especially those involved in hospitals or urgent care, are often considered medics. In countries such as the United Kingdom, the term "medic" is often used to describe physicians who follow a non-surgical medical specialty, such as cardiology or endocrinology. These specialties are typically accredited by professional bodies like the Royal College of Physicians. * Combat medic – A military role found in many nations, referring to trained personnel who provide frontline trauma care to injured soldiers during armed conflict. The title and specific responsibilities vary by country. * Paramedic – A civilian emergency medical responder trained to provide advanced pre-hospital care. The role of paramedics is recognized globally, although the level of training and scope of practice may vary by country or region. * Medical student – In both civilian and military contexts, individuals studying medicine are sometimes informally referred to as medics, particularly in countries such as the UK and Ireland. * Search and rescue medic – In some countries, specialized medics operate in mountain rescue, wilderness rescue, or disaster response teams, trained to provide care in austere or remote environments.

References

{{Authority control Emergency medical responders

Types

See also

References