# List of abbreviations for medical organisations and personnel

* Top
* 0–9
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G
* H
* I
* J
* K
* L
* M
* N
* O
* P
* Q
* R
* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* X
* Y
* Z

## A

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| AA | Alcoholics Anonymous |
| AABB | AABB, formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks |
| AACN | American Association of Critical-Care Nurses |
| AAD | American Association of Dermatology |
| AADGP | American Academy of Dental Group Practice |
| AAFP | American Academy of Family Physicians |
| AAIN | American Academy of Industrial Nurses |
| AAMC | Australian Army Medical Corps |
| AAN | American Academy of Nursing |
| AANS | Australian Army Nursing Service |
| AAO | American Academy of Ophthalmology |
| AAO | American Academy of Optometry |
| AAOS | American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons |
| AAP | American Academy of Pediatrics |
| ABEM | American Board of Emergency Medicine |
| ABMS | American Board of Medical Specialties |
| ACCP | American College of Chest Physicians |
| ACEP | American College of Emergency Physicians |
| ACMPH | American College of Military Public Health |
| ACGME | Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education |
| ACOG | American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists |
| ACP | Advanced Care Paramedic (Canada) |
| ACR | American College of Radiology |
| ACR | American College of Rheumatology |
| ACS | American Cancer Society |
| ACP | American College of Physicians |
| ACS | American College of Surgeons |
| ADA | American Dental Association |
| ADA | American Diabetes Association |
| AGD | Academy of General Dentistry |
| AHA | American Heart Association |
| AIEOP | Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (Italian association to study pediatric oncology) |
| AMA | American Medical Association |
| AMIA | American Medical Informatics Association |
| AMA | Australian Medical Association |
| AMSA | American Medical Student Association |
| AMT | American Medical Technologists |
| ANA | American Nurses Association |
| AND | Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly American Dietetic Association) |
| ANF | Australian Nursing Federation |
| ANNA | American Nephrology Nurses' Association |
| AOA | American Optometric Association |
| AOA | Australian Orthopaedic Association |
| AOA | American Osteopathic Association |
| AOBEM | American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine |
| AORN | Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses |
| APGAR | American Pediatric Gross Assessment Record (a backronym) |
| APA | American Psychiatric Association |
| APN | Advanced practice nurse |
| ARA | American Rheumatological Association |
| ARRT | American Registry of Radiologic Technologists |
| ASCEPT | Australasian Society of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists |
| ASCP | American Society for Clinical Pathology |
| ASCP | American Society of Consultant Pharmacists |
| ASFA | American Society for Apheresis |
| ASHA | American Speech–Language–Hearing Association |
| ASMI | Australian Self-Medication Industry |
| ASMSO | American Society of Medication Safety Officers |
| ASPS | American Society of Plastic Surgeons |
| ASRT | American Society of Radiologic Technologists |
| ASTRO | ASTRO (American Society for Radiation Oncology) |
| ASSH | American Society for Surgery of the Hand |
| AWHONN | Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses |

## B

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| BMA | British Medical Association |
| BAAPS | British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons |
| BNF | British National Formulary |

## C

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| CAD | Canadian Association of the Deaf |
| CAEP | Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians |
| CAG | Canadian Association of Gerontology |
| CAMT | Canadian Association of Music Therapy |
| CAMTS | Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems |
| CAO | Canadian Association of Optometrists |
| CAOT | Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists |
| CAP | Canadian Association of Physicists |
| CAP | College of American Pathologists |
| CAR | Canadian Association of Radiologists |
| CASLPA | Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists |
| CASLPO | College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario |
| CCG | Children's Cancer Group |
| CCOHS | Canadian Centre for Occupational Health |
| CCRN | Certification for adult, pediatric and neonatal critical care nurses |
| CCS | Canadian Cardiovascular Society |
| CDAAC | Communicative Disorders Assistant Association of Canada |
| CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| CESMA | Council for European Specialist Medical Assessments |
| CHT | Certified Hand Therapist |
| CMA | Canadian Medical Association |
| CMA | Certified medical assistant |
| CMS | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services |
| CNA | Certified Nursing Assistant |
| COG | Children's Oncology Group |
| COTA(A) | Council on the Ageing (Australia) |
| CPhT | Certified pharmacy technician |
| CPM | Certified Professional Midwife |
| CPME | Standing Committee of European Doctors |
| CRD | Centre for Reviews and Dissemination |
| CRN | Certified radiology nurse |
| CRNA | Certified registered nurse anesthetist |
| CRT | Certified respiratory therapists – Respiratory therapy |
| CRT | Certified Radiologic Technologist – California License |
| CRTT | Certified Respiratory Therapy Technicians – Respiratory therapy |
| CTRS | Certified therapeutic recreation specialist – Recreation therapy or Therapeutic recreation |
| CSA | Certified surgical assistant |
| CST | Certified Surgical Technologist |
| CWS | cooperative weichteilsarkomen study (German soft tissue sarcoma cooperative group) |

## D

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| DC | Doctor of Chiropractic |
| DDS | Doctor of Dental Surgery |
| DHB | District Health Board (New Zealand) |
| DI | Digital Imaging Technologist |
| DMD | Doctor of Dental Medicine |
| DNP | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| DO | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |
| DoH | Department of Health (various countries) |
| DNB | Diplomate of National Board India |
| DPT | Doctor of Physical Therapy |
| DPM | Doctor of Podiatric Medicine |

## E

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| EMA | European Medicines Agency |
| EMS | Emergency medical services |
| EMT | Emergency medical technician |
| EMT-B | Emergency Medical Technician - Basic(OLD) |
| EMT-I | Emergency Medical Technician - Intermediate (OLD) |
| EMT-P | Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (OLD) |
| EN | Enrolled nurse (AU) – See Licensed practical nurse |
| EORTC | European Organization for Research Treatment in Cancer |
| EpSSG | European paediatric soft tissue sarcoma study group |
| ESRD | End Stage Renal Disease Program |

## F

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration |
| FACC | Fellowship in the American College of Cardiology |
| FACE | Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology |
| FACP | Fellow of the American College of Physicians |
| FAHA | Fellow of the American Heart Association |
| FCCP | Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians |
| FCRSA | |
| FHO | Foundation house officer |
| FIGO | International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics |
| FNKR | |
| FNLA | Fellow of the National Lipid Association |
| FNP | Family Nurse Practitioner |
| FRCP | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK) |
| FVRS | Fellowship in Vitreo-Retinal Surgery |
| FAPA | Fellowship, American Psychiatric Association |

## G

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| GDC | General Dental Council (UK) |
| GMC | General Medical Council (UK) |
| GMS | General medical services medical services provided by GPs (UK) |
| GP | General practitioner |
| GPhC | General Pharmaceutical Council (UK) |

## H

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| HC | Health Canada |
| HEMS | Helicopter Emergency Medical Service |
| HPCSA | Health Professions Council of South Africa |
| HSE | Health Service Executive (Ireland) |

## I

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| IASP | International Association for the Study of Pain |
| IAMMS | Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences |
| IBCLC | International Board Certified Lactation Consultant |
| ICG | Italian Cooperative Group |
| IFMSA | International Federation of Medical Students' Associations |
| IMD | Institution for Mental Disease |
| IMF | Irish Medicines Formulary |
| IMO | Irish Medical Organisation |
| INHS | Inland Northwest Health Services |
| ISMP | Institute for Safe Medication Practices |

## J

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| JAMA | Journal of the American Medical Association |
| JAOA | Journal of the American Osteopathic Association |
| JC | Joint Commission, previously JCAHO |

## L

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| LA | Laboratory aide or assistant |
| LMSSA | Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery of the Society of Apothecaries |
| LMT | Licensed massage therapist |
| LPN | Licensed practical nurse |
| LSA | Licensed surgical assistant |
| LVN | Licensed vocational nurse – see licensed practical nurse |

## M

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| MASH | Mobile army surgical hospital (US) |
| MedPAC | Medicare Payment Advisory Commission |
| MD | Doctor of Medicine |
| MLA | Medical laboratory assistant |
| MT | Medical technologist |
| MLT | Medical laboratory technician |
| MOH | Ministry of Health (various countries) |
| MRCP | Membership of the Royal College of Physicians |
| MRCS | Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons |
| MRT | Medical radiation technologist |
| MP | Medical psychologist |
| MPH | Master of Public Health |
| MSOS | Medication Safety Officers Society |
| MSPT | Master of Science in Physical Therapy |

## N

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| NA | Narcotics Anonymous |
| NAACLS | National accrediting agency for clinical laboratory science |
| NAPCRG | North American Primary Care Research Group |
| NCA | National credentialing agency for laboratory personnel |
| NCI | National Cancer Institute |
| NCTMB | Nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork |
| NEJM | New England Journal of Medicine |
| NHC | Nephrology Hypertension Clinic, P.C |
| NHS | National Health Service |
| NICE | National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence |
| NKC | Northwest Kidney Centers |
| NKF | National Kidney Foundation |
| NYHA | New York Heart Association |
| NPS | National Prescribing Service (Australia) |
| NPSA | National Pharmaceutical Services Association |
| NREMT | National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians(ORG) |
| NREMR | National Registry Emergency Medical First Responder (NREMR) |
| NREMT | National Registry Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) |
| NRS | Nurse |
| NRAEMT | National Registry Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (NRAEMT) |
| NRP | National Registry Paramedic |
| NZNO | New Zealand Nurses Organisation |

## O

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| OD | Doctor of Optometry |
| ONG | Orthodontic National Group |
| OTA | Orthodontic Technicians Association |
| OTR | Occupational Therapist Registered |

## P

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| PA | Physician assistant or pathologist assistant |
| PAC | Certified Physician assistant or pathologist assistant |
| CPT | Phlebotomist |
| PCT | Primary care trust (UK) |
| PGNZ | Pharmaceutical Guild of New Zealand |
| PHARM | Pharmaceutical Health and Rational Use of Medicines (Australia) |
| Pharm.D | Doctor of Pharmacy |
| PMS | Personal Medical Services alternative contract for UK GPs |
| POG | Pediatric Oncology Group |
| PRHO | Pre-registration house officer (UK) |
| PSNZ | Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand |

## R

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| RA | Radiologist's assistant |
| RACP | Royal Australasian College of Physicians |
| RACS | Royal Australasian College of Surgeons |
| RCGP | Royal College of General Practitioners |
| RCIS | Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist |
| RCS | Registered Cardiovascular Specialist |
| RCM | Royal College of Midwives |
| RCN | Royal College of Nursing |
| RCOG | Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
| RCP | Royal College of Pathologists |
| RCP | Royal College of Physicians |
| RCPA | Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia |
| RCS | Royal College of Surgeons (England) |
| RCSI | Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland |
| RD | Registered Dietitian |
| RMA | Registered medical assistant |
| RN | Registered nurse |
| R.Ph | Registered pharmacist |
| RPhT | Registered pharmacy technician |
| RPN | Registered practical nurse — See Licensed practical nurse |
| RPN | Registered psychiatric nurse |
| RPS | Royal Pharmaceutical Society |
| RRT | Registered Respiratory Therapist - Respiratory therapy |
| RVT | Registered Veterinary Technician |
| RSN | Renal support network |
| RT | Radiologic technologist |
| RT | Respiratory therapist – Respiratory therapy |

## S

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| SCOAP | Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program |
| SEN | State Enrolled Nurse (UK) – See Licensed Practical Nurse |
| SHO | Senior house officer (UK) |
| SIGN | Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN and NICE are major centers of CPG development) |
| SIOP | International Society of Paediatric Oncology |
| SN | Student nurse |
| SOMA | Student Osteopathic Medical Association |
| STFM | Society of Teachers of Family Medicine |
| STSC | Soft tissue sarcoma committee |
| SpR | Specialist registrar (UK) |
| SLP | Speech-language pathologist |

## U

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| UDC | University Disability Consortium |
| UEMS | Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes |
| UKPDS | United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study |
| UNOS | United Network for Organ Sharing |
| USMLE | United States Medical Licensing Examination |

## V

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| VA | Veterans Administration – United States Department of Veterans Affairs |

## W

| Abbreviation | Organization or personnel |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
| WMA | World Medical Association |