ENGLISH
REFERENCE

attending

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //əˈtɛndɪŋ// UK //ɐtˈɛndɪŋ// at·tend·ing

n. a senior doctor who has finished all their training and is in charge of a team of other doctors.

n. a senior physician who has completed all residency and fellowship training and holds primary responsibility for patient care and the supervision of junior medical staff.


SIMPLE

The attending will review your test results this afternoon.

CONTEXTUAL

After the residents finished their morning rounds, they presented each case to the attending for final approval on the treatment plans.

COMPLEX

In teaching hospitals, the attending must balance the immediate needs of the patient with the educational requirements of the medical students and residents under their supervision.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From attend + -ing.

Usage

Commonly used in North American medical contexts; often used as a title or a shorthand for 'attending physician'.

Pitfall

He is an attend doctorHe is an attendingLearners often try to use the base verb 'attend' as an adjective, but the noun for this specific role is 'attending'.

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