If you’ve been diagnosed with HIV, chances are you’ll meet many different medical professionals during your HIV treatment. You’ll find that many of them are “specialists” or “specialize” in certain areas of medicine or mental health. This means they’ve had extra training that focuses on a certain type of treatment, body system, or health problem.

• anesthesiologist: A doctor who specializes in giving drugs or other agents (like gasses) that cause a total loss of feeling or relieve pain, most often during surgery. The drugs may put the patient into a deep sleep so they not aware of procedures or surgery.

• case manager: The member of the HIV care team who coordinates the patient’s care throughout diagnosis, treatment, and recovery; often a nurse or HIV nurse specialist. The goal of case management is that one person directs or oversees the patient’s care. For example, a case manager may help the patient get through the complexities of the health care system by working with the health insurance company, getting quicker answers to important questions, managing crises, and connecting the patient and family to needed resources.

• chaplain: A member of the clergy who attends to the spiritual needs of the patient and family. Often a chaplain is trained to care for people of many denominations, faiths, and beliefs.

• dermatologist: A doctor who specializes in giving drugs or other agents (like gasses) that cause a total loss of feeling or relieve pain, most often during surgery. The drugs may put the patient into a deep sleep so they not aware of procedures or surgery.

• dietitian: An expert in the area of nutrition, food, and diet who has at least a bachelor’s degree and has passed a national board exam. Many RDs specialize in areas like weight management, exercise science, HIV care, or cardiac rehabilitation.

• discharge coordinator: Often a nurse or social worker who helps make sure that patients leaving the hospital have what they need to continue their recovery at home, or may help a patient find other places to go after leaving the hospital, such as a nursing home or rehab, where they can continue to get the care they need.

• doctor of osteopathic: A doctor with a licensing and educational background much like that of a medical doctor (MD). They tend to be primary care physicians and are specially trained to use a “whole person” approach to medicine rather than just treating specific symptoms. See also primary care physician.

• endocrinologist: A doctor who specializes in diseases related to the glands of the endocrine system, such as the thyroid, pituitary, pancreas, pineal, and adrenal glands.

• dosimetrist: A person with special training and certification who calculates and plans the correct radiation dose (the amount, rate, and how the dose is spread out) for HIV treatment and/or other diseases that require radiation treatment.