Glossary of Nursing/Medical Degrees-Certifications & Allied Heath Certifications

Below you will find many nursing and medical acronyms for degrees and certification. This is not a complete list, so if you have suggestions or revisions, please post a reply and we will try to update it on a regular basis.

Updated:  

AA: Associate of (Or In) Arts Degree; an Associate's Degree Is Generally a Two-Year Degree (The Term Is Used in the Us; in Canada, the Term Usually Used for Equivalent Education Is "Diploma").

AAS: Associate of (Or In) Applied Science Degree; an Associate's Degree Is Generally a Two-Year Degree (The Term Is Used in the Us; in Canada, the Term Usually Used for Equivalent Education Is "Diploma").

ABA: American Board of Anesthesiology

ABAI: American Board of Allergy & Immunology

ABCRS: American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery

ABD: American Board of Dermatology

ABEM: American Board of Emergency Medicine

ABFP: American Board of Family Practice

ABIM: American Board of Internal Medicine

ABMG: American Board of Medical Genetics

ABNM: American Board of Nuclear Medicine

ABNS: American Board of Neurological Surgery

ABOG: American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology

ABOP: American Board of Ophthalmology

ABOS: American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

ABOTO: American Board of Otolaryngology

ABP: American Board of Pathology

ABP: American Board of Pediatrics

ABPM: American Board of Preventive Medicine

ABPMR: American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

ABPN: American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

ABPS: American Board of Plastic Surgery

ABR: American Board of Radiology

ABS: American Board of Surgery

ABTS: American Board of Thoracic Surgery

ABU: American Board of Urology

achrn: Advanced Certified Hyperbaric Nurse; a Credential Offered by the baromedical Nurses Association (Bna)

acrn: Aids Certified Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the association of Nurses in Aids Care (Anac)

ad: Associate's Degree; an Associate's Degree Is Generally a Two-Year Degree (The Term Is Used in the Us; in Canada, the Term Usually Used for Equivalent Education Is "Diploma").

alnc: Advanced Legal Nurse Consultant - lnc Stat

anp: Adult Nurse Practitioner; Generally an Acronym for a Program Name (E.g. Anp Program) or Title; the Credential Is Usually Either APRN,bc (Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center [Ancc]), or NP-C (Offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners [AANP] certification Program).

aocn: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse; a Credential Offered by the oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (Oncc).

aocnp: Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse Practitioner; a Credential Offered by the oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (Oncc).

aocns: Advanced Oncology Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist; a Credential Offered by the oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (Oncc).

PRN, Bc or Abrn, Bc : an Advanced Practice Certification for Nurse Practitioners, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Specialists in Advanced Diabetes Management, Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

apn: Advanced Practice Nurse (Nurse Practitioner)

APRN: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (Nurse Practitioner)

APRN, Bc-Pcm or APRN, Bc-Pcm: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board Certified-Palliative Care Management; a Credential Offered by the hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (Hpna) in Association with the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

asn: Associate in Science in Nursing Degree; Generally a 2 Year Degree.

ba: Bachelor of Arts, Also Called a Baccalaureate; Generally a Four-Year Degree (See Exception Below).

ba(hons): Honours Bachelor of Arts; in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. Ontario, Canada); This Means a Four-Year Degree - It Does Not Mean the Same Thing as Academic Honors, Such as "Summa Cum Laude"; in These Jurisdictions, a Three-Year "Bachelor's Degree" Is Referred to as an Ordinary Ba.

bb(ascp): Technologist in Blood Banking Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

bdentsci, Bdsc: Bachelor of Dental Science

bds: Bachelor of Dental Surgery

bhs: Bachelor of Health Science

bhyg: Bachelor of Hygiene

bm or Bmed: Bachelor of Medicine; Doctor Designation in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. Australia); Usually a 5-Year Degree (See Also Bm Bch, Cb, Chb, Mb, Mbbs, Mbchb, Bm Chb).

bm Bch: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery; the "Ch" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia (See Also Bm, Bmed, Cb, Chb, Mb, Mbbs, Mbchb, Bm Chb).

bmedbiol: Bachelor of Medical Biology

bmedsci or Bms: Bachelor of Medical Science

bmic: Bachelor of Microbiology

bmt: Bachelor of Medical Technology

BSN: Bachelor of Science Nursing

bo: Bachelor of Osteopathy. Osteopathy

bp or Bpharm: Bachelor of Pharmacy

bph: Bachelor of Public Health

bpheng: Bachelor of Public Health Engineering

bphn: Bachelor of Public Health Nursing

bs or Bsc: Bachelor of Science; Generally a Four-Year Degree (See Exception Below).

bs (Hons) or Bsc (Hons): Honours Bachelor of Science; in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. Ontario, Canada); This Means a Four-Year Degree - It Does Not Mean the Same Thing as Academic Honors, Such as "Summa Cum Laude"; in These Jurisdictions, a Three-Year "Bachelor's Degree" Is Referred to as an Ordinary Bs or Bsc.

bsm or Bscm: Bachelor of Science in Medicine

bscn or BSN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

bscph or Bsph: Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy

bsw: Bachelor of Social Work

bvms: Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Science

bvsc: Bachelor of Veterinary Science

c (Ascp): Technologist in Chemistry Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

capa: Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse; a Credential Offered by the american Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. (Abpanc).

cb or Chb: Bachelor of Surgery; the "C" and "Ch" Are from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia. (See Also Bm, Bmed, Mb, Mbbs, Mbchb, Bm Chb)

cbi: Certificate in Breast Imaging; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

ccm: Certified Case Manager; a Credential Offered by the commission for Case Manager Certification (Ccmc).

ccbs: Critical Care Nurse Specialist; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Critical-Care Nurses (Aacn).

ccrn: Critical Care Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Critical-Care Nurses (Aacn).

cda: Certified Dental Assistant; Length of Educational Program to Obtain Credential Is Generally 9-12 Months (See Also Da).

cde: Certified Diabetes Educator; a Credential Offered by the national Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (Ncbde).

cdn: Certified Dialysis Nurse; a Credential Offered by the nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (Nncc).

cen: Certified Emergency Nurse; a Credential Offered by the board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (Bcen).

cfrn: Certified Emergency Flight Nurse; a Credential Offered by the board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (Bcen).

cgrn: Certified Gastroenterology Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the certifying Board of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc. (Cbgna).

chd: Doctor of Surgery; a Post-Medical Degree Specialty Program; the "Ch" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia (See Also Dch).

chm or Cm: Master of Surgery; a Post-Medical Degree Specialty Program; the "Ch" and "C" Are from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia (See Also Mc, Ms).

chpn: Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse; a Credential Offered by the hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (Hpna) in Association with the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

chrn: Certified Hyperbaric Nurse; a Credential Offered by the baromedical Nurses Association (Bna).

cih: Certificate in Industrial Health

clnc: Certified Legal Nurse Consultant naclnc

cls: Clinical Laboratory Scientist; a Medical Laboratory Credential Which May Be Obtained After Earning a Bachelor's Degree.

cls (Nca): Clinical Laboratory Scientist Holding the Credential Through the national Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel (Nca); a Medical Laboratory Credential Which May Be Obtained After Earning a Relevant Bachelor's Degree and Clinical Laboratory Training.

clt: Certified Laboratory Technician

clt (Nca): Certified Laboratory Technician Holding the national Certification Agency for Medical Laboratory Personnel (Nca); a Medical Laboratory Credential Which May Be Obtained After Earning a Relevant Associate's Degree and Clinical Laboratory Training.

cma/CNA/na/stna: Certified Medical Assistant/certified Nursing Assistant/nursing Assistant/state Tested Nursing Assistant; a Non-Licensed Healthcare Worker Performing Clerical, Administrative, and Basic Clinical Support to Doctors; the Credential That Can Be Obtained After Completing a Medical Assistant Program (Either Via a One-Year Certificate or Diploma Program, or Via a Two-Year Associate's Degree); (See Also Rma).

cm: Certified Midwife; a Credential Offered by the American College of Nurse-Midwives Certification Council (Acc).

cms: Certificate in Management Studies; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

cmsrn: Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (Amsn).

cnm: Certified Nurse Midwife; a Credential Offered by the American College of Nurse-Midwives Certification Council (Acc).

cnmt: Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist; a Credential Offered by the nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (Nmtcb).

cnn: Certified Nephrology Nurse; a Credential Offered by the nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (Nncc).

cnrn: Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Neuroscience Nurses (Aann).

cns: Clinical Nurse Specialist; Usually Used as an Acronym for a Job Title Where a Nurse Works in an Advanced Practice Capacity; the Actual Credential Is Usually Longer and Incorporates "Cns", E.g. Critical Care Nurse Specialist (Ccns) (Offered by the american Association of Critical-Care Nurses [Aacn]), Certified Urologic Clinical Nurse Specialist (Cucns) (Offered by the society of Urologic Nurses and Associates [suna]), Etc.

cnor: This Acronym Does Not Stand for Anything Specific, It Signifies Only That an Individual Has Met All the Education, Examination, or Experience Requirements Necessary to Be Certified in Operating Room Nursing by the certification Board Perioperative Nursing of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (Aorn).

cocn: Certified Continence Care Nurse; a Credential Offered by the wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (Wocncb).

cota: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant; Credential That Can Be Obtained by the national Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (Nbcot), After Earning an Associate's Degree in Occupational Therapy.

cpan: Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse; a Credential Offered by the american Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. (Abpanc).

cpft: Certified Pulmonary Function Technologist; a Credential Offered by the national Board for Respiratory Care (Nbrc).

cpn: Certified Pediatric Nurse; a Credential Offered by the national Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses, Inc. (Ncbpnp/n).

cpon: Certified Pediatric Oncology Nurse; a Credential Offered by the oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (Oncc).

cpnp: Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; a Credential Offered by the national Certification Board of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and Nurses, Inc. (Ncbpnp/n).

crcs Canadian Registered Cardiac Sonographer; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Registered Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals (Cardup).

crgs: Canadian Registered General Sonographer; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Registered Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals (Cardup).

crn: Credential for Nurses Who Have Written the Certification Examination for Radiologic Nursing, Offered by the american Radiological Nurses Association (Arna).

CRNA: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Nurse Anesthetists (Aana).

crnfa: Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant; an Operating Certification Offered by the certification Board Perioperative Nursing of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (Aorn).

crni: Certified Registered Nurse Infusion; a Credential Offered by the Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation of the infusion Nurses Society (Ins).

crnp: Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner (An NP with Certification in a Specialty Recognized by Specific States)

ccrn: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the association of Rehabilitation Nurses (Arn).

crrn-A: Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse - Advanced; a Credential Offered by the association of Rehabilitation Nurses (Arn).

crt: Certified Respiratory Therapist; a Credential Offered by the national Board for Respiratory Care (Nbrc).

crtt: Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician; Sometimes Used as a Job Title, but Sometimes Used to Mean Crt.

crvs: Canadian Registered Vascular Sonographer; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Registered Diagnostic Ultrasound Professionals (Cardup).

ct (Ascp): Cytotechnologist Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

ctic: Computed Tomography Imaging Certificate; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

cucns: Certified Urologic Clinical Nurse Specialist; a Credential Offered by the society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (Suna).

cunp: Certified Urologic Nurse Practitioner; a Credential Offered by the society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (Suna).

curn: Certified Urologic Registered Nurse; a Credential Offered by the society of Urologic Nurses and Associates (Suna).

cwcn: Certified Wound Care Nurse; a Credential Offered by the wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (Wocncb).

cwocn: Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse; a Credential Offered by the wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (Wocncb).

da: Dental Assistant (See Also Cda)

dc: Doctor of Chiropractic

dch: Diploma in Child Health

dch: Doctor of Surgery; the "Ch" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia (See Also Chd).

dcho: Doctor of Ophthalmic Surgery; the "Ch" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia.

dcm: Doctor of Comparative Medicine

dcp: Diploma in Clinical Pathology, or Diploma in Clinical Psychology

ddr: Diploma in Diagnostic Radiology

dds: Doctor of Dental Surgery

ddsc: Doctor of Dental Science

dfhom: Diploma from a Faculty of Homeopathy; Homeopathy Is an Alternative Medicine Practice in Which a Condition Is Treated Using Small Amounts of Substances That, When Used in Large Amounts in Healthy People, Produce Symptoms Similar to Those Being Treated.

dhg, Dhy, Dhyg, or Drhyg: Doctor of Hygiene

dip: Diplomate or Diploma

dipbact: Diploma in Bacteriology

dipchem: Diploma in Chemistry

dipclinpath: Diploma in Clinical Pathology

dipmicrobiol: Diploma in Microbiology

dipphys or Dphys: Diploma in Physiotherapy

dipsocmed: Diploma in Social Medicine

dim (Ascp): Diplomate in Laboratory Management Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

dmd: Doctor of Dental Medicine

dmt: Doctor of Medical Technology

dmv: Doctorat En Medecine Veterinaire (See Also Dvm, Dvms, Dvs, Dvsc)

do: Doctor of Optometry (See Also Od)

do: Doctor of Osteopathy. Osteopathy Is "A System of Therapy ... Based on the Theory That the Body Can Make Its Own Remedies Against Disease and Other Toxic Conditions When It Is in Normal Structural Relationship and Has Favorable Environmental Conditions and Adequate Nutrition. It Uses Generally Accepted Physical, Medicinal, and Surgical Methods of Diagnosis and Therapy, While Placing Chief Emphasis on Maintenance of Normal Body Mechanics and on Manipulative Methods of Detecting and Correcting Faulty Structure." (dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary)

dn: Doctor of Nursing

dne: Doctor of Nursing Education

DNP: Doctor of Nursing Practice

dns or Dnsc: Doctor of Nursing Science

dnc: Dermatology Nurse Certified; a Credential Offered by the dermatology Nurses' Association (Dna).

don: Director of Nursing

dos or Dosc: Doctor of Ocular Science

dos or Dosc: Doctor of Optical Science

dp: Doctor of Pharmacy (See Also Pharmd and Pd)

dp: Doctor of Podiatry (See Also Dpm)

dph: Doctor of Public Health

dph: Doctor of Public Hygiene (See Also Drph)

dphc: Doctor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry

dphn: Doctor of Public Health Nursing

dpm: Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (See Also Dp)

dpm: Doctor of Physical Medicine

dpm: Doctor of Preventive Medicine

dpm: Doctor of Psychiatric Medicine

drmed: Doctor of Medicine (See Also Md); in Some Jurisdictions, the Degree of Doctor of Medicine Is a Higher Doctorate Than "Md," Reserved for Those Who Have Contributed Significantly to the Study of Medicine.

drph: Doctor of Public Health

drph: Doctor of Public Hygiene (See Also Dph)

dsc: Doctor of Science

dse: Doctor of Sanitary Engineering

dsim or Dscim: Doctor of Science in Industrial Medicine

dssc: Diploma in Sanitary Science

dvm: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (See Also Dmv, Dvms, Dvs, Dvsc, Mvd)

dvms: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (See Also Dmv, Dvm, Dvs, Dvsc, Mvd)

dvr: Doctor of Veterinary Radiology

dvs or Dvsc: Doctor of Veterinary Science (See Also Dmv, Dvm, Dvms, Mvd)

edd: Doctor of Education

enpc: Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course, a 16-Hour Post-RN Course; Offered by the board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (Bcen).

et: Enterostomal Therapist; the wound Ostomy Continence Nursing Certification Board (Wocncb) Offers Credentialing in This Specialty, Including: Certified Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse (Cwocn) and Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (Cocn).

faan: Fellow of the american Academy of Nursing

facaai: Fellow of the american College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology

facc: Fellow of the american College of Cardiology

facd: Fellow of the american College of Dentists

faafp: Fellow of the american Academy of Family Physicians

facg: Fellow of the american College of Gastroenterology

facog: Fellow of the american College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

facp: Fellow of the american College of Physicians

facpm: Fellow of the american College of Preventive Medicine

facs: Fellow of the american College of Surgeons

facsm: Fellow of the american College of Sports Medicine

fama: Fellow of the american Medical Association

faota: Fellow of the american Occupational Therapy Association

fapa: Fellow of the american Psychiatric Association

fapha: Fellow of the american Public Health Association

fcap: Fellow of the college of American Pathologists

fccp: Fellow of the american College of Chest Physicians

fcps: Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons

fds: Fellow in Dental Surgery

fdsrcseng: Fellow in Dental Surgery of the royal College of Surgeons of England

ficd: Fellow of the international College of Dentists

fimlt: Fellow of the Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology; Generally a Title Used Outside of North America.

FNP: Family Nurse Practitioner; Generally an Acronym for a Program Name (E.g. FNP Program) or Title; the Credential Is Usually Either APRN,bc (Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center [Ancc]), or NP-C (Offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners [AANP] certification Program).

frcgp: Fellow of the royal College of General Practitioners (Uk)

frcog: Fellow of the royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Uk)

frcp: Fellow of the royal College of Physicians (Uk)

frcpath: Fellow of the royal College of Pathologists (Uk)

frcpc or Frcp©: Fellow of the royal College of Physicians of Canada

frcs: Fellow of the royal College of Surgeons of England

frcsc or Frcs ©: Fellow of the royal College of Surgeons of Canada

gnp: Gerontological Nurse Practitioner; Generally an Acronym for a Program Name (E.g. Gnp Program) or Title; the Credential Is Usually APRN,bc (Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

gp: General Practitioner; an Acronym for a Title, Not a Credential

h (Ascp): Medical Technologist in Hematology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

hcp: Health Care Provider (Not a Credential, Degree, Certification)

hp (Ascp): Hemapheresis Practitioner Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

ht (Ascp): Histotechnician Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

htl (Ascp): Histotechnologist Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

hnc: Certified Holistic Nurse; a Credential Offered by the american Holistic Nurses Association (Ahna).

hnc: Hyperbaric Nurse Clinician; a Credential Offered by the baromedical Nurses Association (Bna).

ibclc: internationally board Certified lactation consultant

jd: Doctor of Jurisprudence (Or Simply, Doctor of Laws); the Reason It's Reversed, Jd Rather Than Dj, Is Due to the Title's Latin Roots. in Latin, It's juris Doctor - Thus, Jd.

lmcc: Licentiate of the medical Council of Canada

lncc: Legal Nurse Consultant Certified; a Credential Offered by the american Legal Nurse Consultant Certification Board (Alnccb).

lpn: Licensed Practical Nurse (In Some Locations Known as an Lvn); a Graduate from a (Usually) One-Year Diploma/certificate Program at a Vocational/technical School.

lpn, Cltc: Licensed Practical Nurse Certified in Long-Term Care by the national Association for Practical Nurse Education & Service, Inc. (Napnes).

lpn, Ncp: Licensed Practical Nurse Certified in Pharmacology by the national Association for Practical Nurse Education & Service, Inc. (Napnes).

lvn: Licensed Vocational Nurse (In Some Locations Known as an Lpn); a Graduate from a (Usually) One-Year Diploma/certificate Program at a Vocational/technical School.

lvn, Cltc: Licensed Vocational Nurse Certified in Long-Term Care by the national Association for Practical Nurse Education & Service, Inc. (Napnes).

lvn, Ncp: Licensed Vocational Nurse Certified in Pharmacology by the national Association for Practical Nurse Education & Service, Inc. (Napnes).

ma: Master of Arts

m (Ascp): Medical Technologist in Microbiology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

mb: Bachelor of Medicine (See Also Bm, Bmed, Cb, Chb, Mbchb, Bm Chb)

mbbs: Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (See Also Bm, Bm Chb, Bmed, Cb, Chb, Mb, Mbchb)

mbchb: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; Doctor Designation in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. the Uk); Usually a 5-Year Degree; the "Ch" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia (See Also Bm, Bm Chb, Bmed, Cb, Chb, Mb, Mbbs).

mc: Master of Surgery; the "C" Is from the Latin for Surgeon, chirurgia, Which Is from the Greek cheirourgia; (See Also Chm, Cm, Ms).

mcps: Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons

md: Doctor of Medicine - the Reason It's Reversed, Md Rather Than Dm, Is Due to the Title's Latin Roots. in Latin, It's medicinae Doctor - Thus, Md. (See Also Drmed)

mdentsc: Master of Dental Science (See Also Mscd)

mds: Master of Dental Surgery

mlt: Medical Laboratory Technician (In the Us); Sometimes in Other Countries, Medical Laboratory Technologist.

mlt (Ascp): Medical Laboratory Technician Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

mph: Master of Pharmacy (See Also Mpharm)

mph: Master of Public Health

mp (Ascp): Medical Technologist in Molecular Pathology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

mpharm: Master of Pharmacy (See Also Mph)

mrad: Master of Radiology

mrcp (Uk): Membership in the royal College of Physicians (Uk)

mrl: Medical Records Librarian

ms: Master of Surgery (See Also Chm, Cm, Mc)

ms or Msc: Master of Science

mscd: Master of Dental Science (See Also Mdentsc)

mscn or MSN: Master of Science in Nursing (See Also Mn)

mn: Master in Nursing (See Also Mscn or MSN)

mscph or Msph: Master of Science in Public Health

msph, Mscph, Mspharm, or Mscpharm: Master of Science in Pharmacy

msw: Master of Social Work

mt: Medical Technologist

mt (Ascp): Medical Technologist Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

mvd: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (See Also Dmv, Dvms, Dvs, Dvsc)

nct: Nuclear Cardiology Technologist; a Credential Offered by the nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (Nmtcb).

nd: Doctor of Nursing

nd: Doctor of Naturopathy

nmt: Nuclear Medicine Technologist

NP: Nurse Practitioner; Generally an Acronym for a Program Name (E.g. a NP Program) or Title; the Credential Is Offered Through a Credentialing Body, Such as the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

NP-C: a Credential for Nurse Practitioners in All Specialties, Offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification Program.

ocn: Oncology Certified Nurse; a Credential Offered by the oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (Oncc).

od: Doctor of Optometry (See Also Do)

onc: Orthopaedic Nurse Certified; a Credential Offered by the national Association of Orthopaedic Nurses' (Naon) Orthopaedic Nurses Certification Board.

ot: Occupational Therapist; Generally an Acronym for the Position of Occupational Therapist, Not a Credential.

otr or Otreg: Registered Occupational Therapist

pa: Physician Assistant; Pa Generally an Acronym for the Position of Physician Assistant, Not a Credential; Pas Are Individuals Licensed to Practice Medicine with Physician Supervision; Responsibilities Include: Performing Physicals, Diagnosing/treating Illnesses, Ordering/interpreting Tests; Assisting with Surgery, Writing Prescriptions (Most States), Etc.; the Average Pa Training Program Lasts 26 Months, and the Typical Applicant to the Program Has a Bachelor's Degree and Four Years of Healthcare Experience.

pa-C: Physician Assistant-Certified; a Credential Offered by the national Commission on the Certification of Physician Assistants (Nccpa).

pcp: Primary Care Physician; Generally an Acronym for the Position of Primary Care Physician, Not a Credential.

pd: Doctor of Pharmacy; the Reason It's Reversed, Pd Rather Than Dp, Is Due to the Title's Latin Roots. in Latin, It's pharmaciae Doctor - Thus, Pd. (See Also Pharmd and Dp)

pharmd: Doctor of Pharmacy - the Reason It's Reversed, Pharmd Rather Than Dpharm, Is Due to the Title's Latin Roots. in Latin, It's pharmaciae Doctor - Thus, Pharmd. (See Also Dp and Pd)

phd: Doctor of Philosophy - the Reason It's Reversed, Phd Rather Than Dph, Is Due to the Title's Latin Roots. in Latin, It's philosophiae Doctor - Thus, Phd.

pnp: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner; Generally an Acronym for the Position of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Not a Credential.

pt: Physical Therapist or Physiotherapist; Generally an Acronym for the Position of Physical Therapist or Physiotherapist, Not a Credential.

rda: Registered Dental Assistant

rda Level I: Registered Dental Assistant Level I; in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. Alberta, Canada); This Means Individuals Who Are Registered to Perform Chairside Assisting and Reception Duties, but Have Not Completed Any Intra-Oral Training.

rda Level Ii: Registered Dental Assistant Level Ii; in Some Jurisdictions (E.g. Alberta, Canada); This Means Individuals Who Are Registered in Any or All of the Legal Intra-Oral Duties After Completion of an In-School Formal Training Program.

rdcs: Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Ardms).

rdms: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Ardms).

rma: Registered Medical Assistant; a Non-Licensed Healthcare Worker Performing Clerical, Administrative, and Basic Clinical Support to Doctors; the Credential That Can Be Obtained After Completing a Medical Assistant Program (Either Via a One-Year Certificate or Diploma Program, or Via a Two-Year Associate's Degree). (See Also Cma)

RN: Registered Nurse

RN, Bc: a Basic Certification for Baccalaureate (Or Higher) Nurses, Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

RN, C: a Certification for Associate Degree or Diploma Nurses, Offered by the american Nurses Credentialing Center (Ancc).

rna: Registered Nurse Anesthetist

rna: Registered Nursing Assistant

rnc: a Credential Offered by the national Certification Corporation (Ncc) for Various Nursing Specialists, Including Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner; the Following Specialists Also Receive "Rnc" Credential, but Would Include the Additional "Letters" Indicated: Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (Inpt); Maternal Newborn Nursing (Mn); Low Risk Neonatal Nursing (Lrn); Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (Nic); Telephone Nursing Practice (Tnp).

rnp: Registered Nurse Practitioner (Some Nps Have This License to Practice from Their Respective State and Only in Their State).

roub: Registered Ophthalmic Ultrasound Biometrist; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Ardms).

rph: Registered Pharmacist

rpft: Registered Pulmonary Function Technologist; a Credential Offered by the national Board for Respiratory Care (Nbrc).

rpt: Registered Physical Therapist or Registered Physiotherapist

rra: Registered Record Librarian or Registered Records Librarian

rrt: Registered Respiratory Therapist; a Credential Offered by Groups Such as the national Board for Respiratory Care (Nbrc) and the canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (Csrt).

rt: Respiratory Therapist or Radiological Technologist; Generally an Acronym for the Positions, Not a Credential.

rtmr: Registered Technologist in Magnetic Resonance; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

rtn (Arrt): Registered Nuclear Medicine Technologist; a Credential Offered by the american Registry of Radiologic Technologists (Arrt).

rtnm: Registered Technologist in Nuclear Medicine; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

rtr: Registered Technologist in Radiological Technology; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

rtr (Arrt): Registered Radiography Technologist; a Credential Offered by the american Registry of Radiologic Technologists (Arrt).

rtt: Registered Technologist in Radiation Therapy; a Credential Offered by the canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (Camrt).

rtt (Arrt): Registered Radiation Therapist; a Credential Offered by the american Registry of Radiologic Technologists (Arrt).

rvt: Registered Vascular Technologist; a Credential Offered by the american Association of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Ardms).

sane: sexual Assault Nurse Examiner by sane-Sart

sbb (Ascp): Specialist in Blood Banking Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sc (Ascp): Specialist in Chemistry Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sct (Ascp): Specialist in Cytotechnology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sh (Ascp): Specialist in Hematology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sls (Ascp): Specialist in Laboratory Safety Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sm (Ascp): Specialist in Microbiology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sv (Ascp): Specialist in Virology Certified by the american Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Registry.

sw: Social Worker; Generally an Acronym for the Position of Social Worker, Not a Credential.

tncc: Trauma Nursing Core Course; a 16- to 20-Hour Post-RN Course; Offered by the board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (Bcen).

D Litt et Phil

South African Doctoral degree-- Doctor of Lterature and Philosophy --this is the doctoral degree for nurses at the University of South Africa.

AACN's newest certifications:

CMC - Cardiac Medicine Certification

CSC - Cardiac Surgery Certification

Specializes in Utilization Management.
Specializes in Anesthesia, CVICU.

AA-C= anesthesiologist assistant-certified

An anesthesiologist assistant is a physician assistant specialist. The anesthesiologist assistant specializes in the care of patients prior to, during and after surgery. The anesthesiologist assistant formulates the anesthesia care plan for the patient and then cares for the patient throughout the surgical procedure. Anesthesiologist assistants must practice under the direct supervision of a qualified anesthesiologist.

Specializes in Med-Surg.

What does RNCS PC mean?

(They belong to an instructor of psychiatric nursing.)

Specializes in Anesthesia, CVICU.

RNCS-PC=Registered Nurse Clinical Specialist-Palliative Care or Primary Care

Also PC sometimes is used for Clinical Psychologist. If instructor has a PhD this is possible.

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

In the Uk you have RM registered Midwife

and B/Mid (hons) Batchelors of midwifery honours degree

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Psy.D is missing from the list. This is a doctor of psychology, a clinical psychologist. In the US, psychologists are more often than not, ph.d's. However, there is a clinical psychologist degree of Psy.D. It is similar to the difference between the nursing degrees of Ph.D and DNS. A clinical doctorate without the Ph.D hullabaloo.

"cnor: this acronym does not stand for anything specific, it signifies only that an individual has met all the education, examination, or experience requirements necessary to be certified in operating room nursing by the certification board perioperative nursing of the association of perioperative registered nurses (aorn)."

this is new to me....i always thought that cnor is specific for certified nurse operating room....do u know if there r other certifications available for perioperative nurses??

thanks!!!

Specializes in Hospice.
EMT - Emergency Medical Technician

EMT-B - Emergency Medical Technician-Basic

EMT-I - Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate

EMT-P - Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic

Add NR to the front of any of the EMTs for Nationally Registered EMT whatever.

Add CC to the EMT-P for Critical Care EMT-P

In Indiana we also have EMT-BA (formerly EMT-A) - Advanced Emergency Medical Technician.

Specializes in Veterinary Technology.

For anyone interested ... here are some from Veterinary Medicine:

R/L/CVT- Registered/Licensed/Certified Veterinary Technician

This is usually different for different states

RAHT - Registered Animal Health Technician

Again dependent on the state

Add a little "g" to any of the above - Veterinary Technologist

Used when referring to someone with a bachelor's in Veterinary Technology

VTS - Veterinary Technician Specialist

Available in Emergency/Critical Care, Anesthesia, Dentistry & Internal Medicine, with plans for behavior, nutrtion, and equine medicine in the works

There are MANY MANY more like CVA, CVPM, VNA, & others. If anyone is interested, I will gladly respond.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
"cnor: this acronym does not stand for anything specific, it signifies only that an individual has met all the education, examination, or experience requirements necessary to be certified in operating room nursing by the certification board perioperative nursing of the association of perioperative registered nurses (aorn)."

this is new to me....i always thought that cnor is specific for certified nurse operating room....do u know if there r other certifications available for perioperative nurses??

thanks!!!

always thought cnor stood for certified nurse in the operating room as well. sounds specific to me.

as for other certifications, an perioperative nurse can become an rnfa (registered nurse first assistant)