physician meaning and examples thumbnail

physician meaning and examples

2025-09-03

Meaning

A physician is a medical doctor who is qualified to practice medicine, especially one who diagnoses illnesses and prescribes treatment rather than performing surgery. In American English, it usually refers to a general medical doctor, while in British English, "doctor" is more commonly used in everyday speech.

Grammar and Usage

  • Part of speech: noun (countable)
  • Plural: physicians
  • Used to describe a professional role in healthcare.
  • Common in formal or professional contexts, particularly in the United States.

Typical structures:

  • "a physician + verb"
  • "physician + noun" (e.g., physician assistant, physician care)
  • "consult a physician"

Common Phrases

  • Primary care physician – a doctor who provides general medical care.
  • Attending physician – a senior doctor responsible for patients in a hospital.
  • Family physician – a doctor who provides healthcare for all family members.
  • Physician assistant – a trained medical professional who works under a physician’s supervision.

Collocations

  • consult a physician
  • licensed physician
  • treating physician
  • physician’s advice
  • physician’s order

Examples

  1. She made an appointment with her primary care physician for a check-up.
  2. The physician prescribed antibiotics to treat the infection.
  3. Every hospital requires a licensed physician on duty at all times.
  4. He works as a family physician in a small town.
  5. The attending physician explained the treatment plan to the patient’s family.
  6. If you have any unusual symptoms, consult a physician immediately.
  7. The physician emphasized the importance of regular exercise and a healthy diet.
  8. A physician assistant helped the doctor during the examination.
  • Doctor
  • Medical practitioner
  • Clinician
  • General practitioner (GP, more common in British English)
  • Attending doctor