Feldsher
Encyclopedia
Feldsher is the name of a health care professional
who provides various medical services in Russia
and other countries of the former Soviet Union
, mainly in rural areas. For example, feldshers provide primary, obstetrical and surgical care services in many rural medical centres and ambulatories across Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The equivalent type of provider may also go under different titles in different countries and regions, such as physician assistant
in the US or clinical officer
in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, collectively grouped under the category “paramedical practitioners” in the International Standard Classification of Occupations
, 2008 revision.
, thus "Feldscher" = fieldshear), and was the name of the barber surgeon
s in the army going back to the 17th century. They worked as army field surgeons for the German and Swiss Landsknecht
until real military medical services were established by Prussia in the early 18th century. The term was then exported with Prussian officers and nobility to Russia.
The Feldsher system of rural primary care provided some of the inspiration for China
's program of Barefoot doctors
.
Today feldshers can be found in every medical setting from primary to intensive care. They are often the first point of contact for the rural population with health professionals.
s and nurses. They do not have the full professional qualifications
as physicians.
The training program typically included basic pre-clinical sciences (anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, laboratory subjects, etc.) and advanced clinical sciences (internal medicine and therapeutics (Внутренние Болезни и Терапия), neurology and psychiatry (Неврология и Психиатрия), obstetrics (Акушерство и Гинекология), infectious diseases and epidemiology (Инфекционные Болезни и Эпидемиология), preventive medicine (Профилактика Заболеваний), surgery and trauma (Хирургия с Травматологией), anesthesiology and intensive care (Анастезиология и Реанимация), pediatrics (Детские Болезни), and other clinical subjects such as ophthalmology (Глазные Болезни), otolaryngology (Болезни Ухо, Горла и Носа), dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases (Кожные и Венерические Болезни), ambulance service and pre-hospital emergency medical care (Скорая Медицинская Помощь), army field medical-surgical training (Начальная Военно-полевая Медицинкая и Хирургическая Подготовка).
Health care provider
A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
who provides various medical services in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and other countries of the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, mainly in rural areas. For example, feldshers provide primary, obstetrical and surgical care services in many rural medical centres and ambulatories across Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The equivalent type of provider may also go under different titles in different countries and regions, such as physician assistant
Physician assistant
A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
in the US or clinical officer
Clinical officer
Clinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, collectively grouped under the category “paramedical practitioners” in the International Standard Classification of Occupations
International Standard Classification of Occupations
The International Standard Classification of Occupations is an International Labour Organization classification structure for organizing information on labour and jobs. It is part of the international family of economic and social classifications of the United Nations...
, 2008 revision.
History
The name Feldsher is derived from the German term Feldscher, which was coined in the 15th century. Feldscher or Feldscherer means field shearer ("Feld" = Field, "Scher" comes from the geman term "Scherer" = shearerShearer
A shearer is someone who shears, such as a cloth shearer, or a sheep shearer.Additionally, Shearer is the surname of people:-In sports:*Alan Shearer , English footballer*Bobby Shearer , Scottish footballer...
, thus "Feldscher" = fieldshear), and was the name of the barber surgeon
Barber surgeon
The barber surgeon was one of the most common medical practitioners of medieval Europe - generally charged with looking after soldiers during or after a battle...
s in the army going back to the 17th century. They worked as army field surgeons for the German and Swiss Landsknecht
Landsknecht
Landsknechte were European, predominantly German mercenary pikemen and supporting foot soldiers from the late 15th to the late 16th century, and achieved the reputation for being the universal mercenary of Early modern Europe.-Etymology:The term is from German, Land "land, country" + Knecht...
until real military medical services were established by Prussia in the early 18th century. The term was then exported with Prussian officers and nobility to Russia.
The Feldsher system of rural primary care provided some of the inspiration for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's program of Barefoot doctors
Barefoot doctors
Barefoot doctors are farmers who received minimal basic medical and paramedical training and worked in rural villages in the People's Republic of China. Their purpose was to bring health care to rural areas where urban-trained doctors would not settle...
.
Today feldshers can be found in every medical setting from primary to intensive care. They are often the first point of contact for the rural population with health professionals.
Education and training
Training programs for feldshers can be up to four years of postsecondary education, including in medical diagnosis and prescribing. They carry out clinical responsibilities that may be considered mid-way between physicianPhysician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s and nurses. They do not have the full professional qualifications
Healthcare provider requisites
Healthcare provider requisites refer to the regulations used by countries to control the quality of individual healthcare workers practicing in their jurisdictions and to control the size of the health labour market...
as physicians.
The training program typically included basic pre-clinical sciences (anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, laboratory subjects, etc.) and advanced clinical sciences (internal medicine and therapeutics (Внутренние Болезни и Терапия), neurology and psychiatry (Неврология и Психиатрия), obstetrics (Акушерство и Гинекология), infectious diseases and epidemiology (Инфекционные Болезни и Эпидемиология), preventive medicine (Профилактика Заболеваний), surgery and trauma (Хирургия с Травматологией), anesthesiology and intensive care (Анастезиология и Реанимация), pediatrics (Детские Болезни), and other clinical subjects such as ophthalmology (Глазные Болезни), otolaryngology (Болезни Ухо, Горла и Носа), dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases (Кожные и Венерические Болезни), ambulance service and pre-hospital emergency medical care (Скорая Медицинская Помощь), army field medical-surgical training (Начальная Военно-полевая Медицинкая и Хирургическая Подготовка).
See also
- Health care providerHealth care providerA health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
s - Allied health professionsAllied health professionsAllied health professions are clinical health care professions distinct from dentistry, nursing and medicine. One estimate reported allied health professionals make up 60 percent of the total health workforce...
- Clinical officerClinical officerClinical officers are health care providers who practice modern medicine. They practice independently but may be supervised by a physician in some settings....
, a similar category of health care provider in sub-Saharan Africa - Physician assistantPhysician assistantA physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
, a similar category of health care provider in the United States