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A feldsher is a medical practitioner in some East European countries, particularly Russia, who does not hold full professional qualifications or status. The term originates from German, meaning "field surgeon".1

In Russia, feldshers are auxiliary health workers who may be the first point of contact for patients in rural areas. They work under the supervision of physicians and are considered paramedical workers, though historically they served as lower-grade physicians in the army or peasant communities.2

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. feldsher
  2. medicine - Russia

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