担当医(たんとうい)

Literally "the doctor in charge," formed from 担当(たんとう) (being in charge of) + 医(い) (doctor). This is the standard term used in Japanese hospitals when referring to a specific patient's physician.

Common collocations

• 担当医(たんとうい)に相談(そうだん)する: to consult with the attending physician
• 担当医(たんとうい)に聞(き)く: to ask the attending doctor
• 担当医(たんとうい)が変(か)わる: to have a change of attending physician
• 担当医(たんとうい)の先生(せんせい): the doctor in charge (polite)
• 担当医(たんとうい)の指示(しじ): instructions from the attending physician

Similar words

• 主治医(しゅじい): primary care physician — emphasizes a longer-term relationship; the doctor a patient regularly relies on
• 医師(いし): physician — a formal general term for doctors
• 先生(せんせい): doctor (as address term) — how patients actually address a doctor in conversation
• かかりつけ医(い): family doctor; regular doctor — the doctor a family or individual habitually visits, similar to a general practitioner

Usage

担当医(たんとうい) emphasizes the assignment of a specific doctor to a specific case, so it is common in hospitals where a patient is assigned a doctor upon admission. 主治医(しゅじい) overlaps in meaning but is used more for ongoing care relationships.