AI exposure in healthcare practitioner and technical occupations
89 occupations, 1,729 tasks, scored against the capability frontier of 2026-09-15. This family ranks 15 of 22 by median exposed share.
Reading this family
computedThe median healthcare practitioner and technical occupation has 18.5% of its weighted task load in work current AI systems can already produce, which is 5.8 points below the median across every occupation in the index. Weighted by how many people actually do these jobs, the figure is 20.2%, across 9,460,600 US workers. 4 of these occupations fall in the exposed band, 23 in assisted and 62 in untouched.
What holds the line across this family is verification cost, at 2.47 out of 3, the highest of the five friction dimensions here. In plain terms the obstacle is checking costing more than doing. An undetected error here is expensive, dangerous or irreversible, so someone has to verify, and verifying can cost as much as producing.
The spread inside the family is wider than the gap between families, which is the usual pattern and the reason this index does not publish a single number per group. Patient Representatives sits at 49.3%. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons sits at 4.1%. Both are healthcare practitioner and technical occupations, and 45.1 points separate them.
Where the family score comes from
judgedMeans across all 1,729 tasks in this family. Capability is what AI can do; the other five are what stands in the way.
| Dimension | Mean | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Capability | 1.72 | 0-4 |
| Embodiment | 1.40 | 0-3 |
| Presence | 1.72 | 0-3 |
| Accountability | 2.36 | 0-3 |
| Context | 1.77 | 0-3 |
| Verification cost | 2.47 | 0-3 |
Every healthcare practitioner and technical occupation
See them on the chart| Occupation | Exposed | Assisted | Untouched | Median pay | Tasks | Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient Representatives | 49.3% | 20.4% | 30.3% | $50,290 | 13 | exposed |
| Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars | 47.0% | 27.5% | 25.5% | $68,020 | 16 | exposed |
| Medical Records Specialists | 40.0% | 31.6% | 28.4% | $51,140 | 16 | exposed |
| Pharmacy Technicians | 36.9% | 20.9% | 42.2% | $45,750 | 21 | exposed |
| Preventive Medicine Physicians | 32.2% | 29.0% | 38.8% | $265,930 | 15 | assisted |
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 30.9% | 32.0% | 37.2% | $76,400 | 28 | assisted |
| Pharmacists | 29.1% | 27.0% | 43.9% | $140,910 | 21 | assisted |
| Radiologists | 28.0% | 33.7% | 38.2% | $420,860 | 30 | assisted |
| Art Therapists | 27.6% | 28.5% | 43.9% | $77,930 | 25 | assisted |
| Genetic Counselors | 27.2% | 36.2% | 36.7% | $100,040 | 19 | assisted |
| Psychiatrists | 25.5% | 32.8% | 41.7% | $281,870 | 12 | assisted |
| Chiropractors | 25.4% | 30.1% | 44.5% | $79,200 | 13 | assisted |
| Music Therapists | 24.1% | 28.5% | 47.5% | $77,930 | 30 | assisted |
| Medical Dosimetrists | 23.8% | 27.3% | 48.9% | $147,470 | 19 | assisted |
| Dietetic Technicians | 23.5% | 29.9% | 46.6% | $37,640 | 13 | assisted |
| Sports Medicine Physicians | 23.3% | 33.2% | 43.5% | $265,930 | 27 | assisted |
| Recreational Therapists | 23.2% | 32.0% | 44.8% | $61,960 | 11 | assisted |
| Naturopathic Physicians | 23.0% | 24.2% | 52.8% | $115,210 | 20 | untouched |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | 22.9% | 24.9% | 52.3% | $96,590 | 19 | untouched |
| Occupational Therapists | 22.7% | 27.6% | 49.7% | $100,330 | 17 | assisted |
| Hospitalists | 22.5% | 31.9% | 45.6% | $265,930 | 14 | assisted |
| Opticians, Dispensing | 21.9% | 18.8% | 59.3% | $47,260 | 21 | untouched |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | 21.9% | 22.9% | 55.2% | $101,370 | 17 | untouched |
| Cytogenetic Technologists | 21.7% | 27.5% | 50.7% | n/a | 30 | untouched |
| Dental Hygienists | 21.7% | 17.2% | 61.2% | $98,100 | 16 | untouched |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | 21.6% | 28.0% | 50.4% | $97,870 | 23 | untouched |
| Physicians, Pathologists | 21.3% | 32.6% | 46.1% | $312,400 | 19 | assisted |
| Audiologists | 21.3% | 27.3% | 51.4% | $95,780 | 22 | untouched |
| Cytotechnologists | 21.3% | 29.3% | 49.4% | n/a | 13 | assisted |
| Physical Therapists | 21.0% | 29.7% | 49.3% | $102,760 | 24 | assisted |
| Athletic Trainers | 21.0% | 24.1% | 55.0% | $62,520 | 23 | untouched |
| Nurse Practitioners | 20.8% | 28.8% | 50.4% | $132,300 | 27 | untouched |
| Registered Nurses | 20.4% | 27.9% | 51.7% | $97,550 | 27 | untouched |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 20.3% | 29.8% | 49.9% | $97,550 | 30 | assisted |
| Allergists and Immunologists | 20.2% | 32.5% | 47.3% | $265,930 | 16 | assisted |
| Physician Assistants | 20.2% | 26.9% | 52.9% | $135,880 | 12 | untouched |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 20.0% | 33.0% | 46.9% | $97,550 | 24 | assisted |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | 19.8% | 24.5% | 55.7% | n/a | 14 | untouched |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | 19.4% | 19.3% | 61.3% | $95,480 | 24 | untouched |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | 19.3% | 23.5% | 57.2% | $80,110 | 30 | untouched |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 19.2% | 31.4% | 49.4% | $244,180 | 12 | assisted |
| Radiation Therapists | 19.2% | 20.6% | 60.2% | $105,310 | 22 | untouched |
| Neurologists | 19.2% | 32.5% | 48.3% | $248,560 | 24 | assisted |
| Nurse Midwives | 18.6% | 24.9% | 56.6% | $134,040 | 21 | untouched |
| General Internal Medicine Physicians | 18.5% | 30.9% | 50.7% | $256,560 | 19 | untouched |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 18.4% | 23.5% | 58.1% | n/a | 15 | untouched |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 18.3% | 20.0% | 61.7% | $64,400 | 22 | untouched |
| Exercise Physiologists | 18.1% | 23.3% | 58.7% | $59,460 | 25 | untouched |
| Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric | 17.9% | 27.7% | 54.4% | $300,080 | 18 | untouched |
| Obstetricians and Gynecologists | 17.7% | 27.2% | 55.1% | $292,910 | 15 | untouched |
| Podiatrists | 17.6% | 22.1% | 60.2% | $160,300 | 11 | untouched |
| Orthoptists | 17.6% | 29.0% | 53.4% | $115,210 | 16 | untouched |
| Dermatologists | 17.6% | 26.6% | 55.8% | $328,730 | 18 | untouched |
| Acute Care Nurses | 17.4% | 27.4% | 55.1% | $97,550 | 27 | untouched |
| Midwives | 16.8% | 25.9% | 57.3% | $65,790 | 36 | untouched |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 16.5% | 30.1% | 53.4% | $335,550 | 17 | untouched |
| Pediatricians, General | 16.4% | 28.6% | 55.0% | $210,040 | 17 | untouched |
| Cardiologists | 16.2% | 23.8% | 60.0% | $496,010 | 25 | untouched |
| Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric | 16.2% | 26.0% | 57.8% | $358,550 | 15 | untouched |
| Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists, and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists | 16.1% | 27.4% | 56.5% | $100,330 | 21 | untouched |
| Veterinarians | 16.1% | 20.7% | 63.1% | $130,100 | 21 | untouched |
| Pediatric Surgeons | 15.9% | 25.8% | 58.3% | $559,030 | 18 | untouched |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | 15.9% | 21.5% | 62.6% | $74,310 | 21 | untouched |
| Critical Care Nurses | 15.0% | 23.6% | 61.4% | $97,550 | 29 | untouched |
| Anesthesiologists | 14.3% | 24.5% | 61.3% | $391,490 | 20 | untouched |
| Neurodiagnostic Technologists | 14.2% | 22.6% | 63.3% | $50,290 | 16 | untouched |
| Orthodontists | 14.0% | 26.9% | 59.1% | $289,140 | 11 | untouched |
| Histotechnologists | 13.5% | 15.8% | 70.7% | n/a | 16 | untouched |
| Acupuncturists | 13.2% | 19.7% | 67.1% | $76,040 | 18 | untouched |
| Respiratory Therapists | 13.1% | 20.6% | 66.4% | $82,280 | 23 | untouched |
| Urologists | 13.0% | 21.7% | 65.3% | $265,930 | 14 | untouched |
| Emergency Medical Technicians | 12.8% | 20.5% | 66.7% | $44,470 | 12 | untouched |
| Surgical Technologists | 12.6% | 9.9% | 77.5% | $64,650 | 18 | untouched |
| Orthotists and Prosthetists | 12.2% | 17.9% | 69.9% | $81,110 | 15 | untouched |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | 11.9% | 12.2% | 75.9% | $47,380 | 31 | untouched |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physicians | 11.9% | 27.3% | 60.8% | $265,930 | 15 | untouched |
| Psychiatric Technicians | 11.6% | 19.1% | 69.3% | $45,130 | 16 | untouched |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | 10.8% | 18.8% | 70.4% | $50,290 | 31 | untouched |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 10.7% | 15.1% | 74.2% | $236,590 | 24 | untouched |
| Anesthesiologist Assistants | 10.2% | 11.1% | 78.6% | $135,880 | 16 | untouched |
| Dentists, General | 10.0% | 13.4% | 76.6% | $170,950 | 20 | untouched |
| Paramedics | 9.8% | 16.7% | 73.5% | $60,600 | 13 | untouched |
| Optometrists | 9.3% | 22.2% | 68.5% | $136,570 | 10 | untouched |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technicians | 8.1% | 15.4% | 76.5% | $45,570 | 20 | untouched |
| Hearing Aid Specialists | 7.8% | 15.6% | 76.6% | $65,160 | 11 | untouched |
| Surgical Assistants | 6.4% | 8.1% | 85.5% | $66,800 | 28 | untouched |
| Histology Technicians | 6.0% | 9.8% | 84.2% | n/a | 8 | untouched |
| Prosthodontists | 4.6% | 10.1% | 85.4% | $311,180 | 12 | untouched |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons | 4.1% | 12.3% | 83.6% | $352,220 | 15 | untouched |
Exposure is not displacement. These figures say what current systems can produce and what stands in the way. They do not say anyone will stop paying a person to do the work. How the score is built.