at·tend·ing
ə-ˈten-diŋ
: serving as a physician or surgeon on the staff of a hospital or similar health care facility and having primary responsibility over the treatment of a patient and often supervising treatment given by interns, residents, and fellows
an attending physician
attending staff
: an attending physician or surgeon
In the hospital, he had been cared for by a full team of cardiologists, ranging from fellows in specialty training to attendings who had practiced for decades.—Atul Gawande
Cite this Entry
“Attending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attending. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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