What are the different types of medical specialists called in Spanish?

Because of their common Latin root in both English and Spanish, most medical titles can be easily recognised by anglophones learning Spanish. Not all of them, however.

Here we’ll go over some of the medical specialties and how to call them in Spanish. 

A couple of pointers before we start. Remember that the syllable that has the accent on the vowel is the one you stress in Spanish. 

Also, in Spanish a “g” followed by an a,o or u is pronounced like “gh” sound like ghost or get, but a “g” followed by e or i is pronounced with a “ha” sound like hat or head.

And as most Spanish professions differentiate the person’s gender, the masculine article is “el” and the noun usually ends in “o” and the feminine article is “la” and most often ends in “a”.  There are some exceptions such as médico (doctor) where the article changes but the noun always ends in "o".

Here is a list of the majority of medical specialists and health professionals and how they are referred to in Spain.

 

Surgeon: el cirujano, la cirujana. Depending on the type of surgeon it can be cirujano cardiovascular, pediátrico etc or in the case of a neurosurgeon it’s a neurocirujano/a. 

 

Anaethetist (anaesthesia): el anestesiólogo, la anestesióloga

  

Cardiologist (heart): el cardiólogo, la cardióloga 

 

Dental surgeon: el odontólogo/la odontóloga

 

Dermatologist (skin): el dermatólogo, la dermatóloga 

 

Endocrinologist (hormones): el endocrinólogo, la endocrinóloga

Gastroenterologist (stomach): el gastroenterólogo, la gastroenterólogo. Most people instead el/la médico digestivo

 

Gynaecologist (female reproductive system): el ginecólogo, la ginecóloga

 

Occupational therapist: el terapeuta ocupacional, la terapeuta ocupacional 

 

Ophthalmologist (eyes): el oftalmólogo, la oftalmóloga 

 

Oncologist (cancer): el oncólogo, la oncóloga 

 

Orthopaedist (musculoskeletal): el ortopedista, la ortopedista 

 

Orthopaedic surgeon: el traumatólogo, la traumatóloga

 

Otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat - ENT): el otorrinolaringólogo, la otorrinolaringóloga. Often shortened to el/la otorrino.

 

Paediatrician (children): el pediatra, la pediatra

 

Podiatrist or chiropodist (feet): el podólogo, la podóloga

 

Physiotherapist (injury, illness or disability therapy): el fisioterapeuta, la fisioterapeuta. Often shortened to el/la fisio.

 

Psychologist (mental health): el (p)sicólogo, la (p)sicóloga 

 

 

Psychiatrist (mental health): el psiquiatra, la psiquiatra 

 

Pulmonologist (lungs): el neumólogo, la neumóloga

 

Radiologist (X-rays, MRI, CT): el radiólogo, la radióloga 

 

Rheumatologist (arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles, and bones): el reumatólogo, la reumatóloga

 

Speech therapist: el logopeda, la logopeda

 

Urologist (urinary system): el urólogo, la uróloga

 

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