Las profesiones

In Spanish, when you are identifying your profession, you do not use an article.  For example:
I am a professor. Soy profesor.
Ally McBeal is a lawyer. Ally McBeal es abogada.
Dr. Carter is a surgeon. El dr. Carter es cirujano.

When you use an adjective to describe how you are in your profession, you use an indefinite article:

I am a good doctor. Soy un buen médico.
They are energetic professors. Son unos profesores enérgicos.

If you are referring to your job by your job title, you do use an article.  For example:

I am the interpreter (there is no other.) Soy el intérprete.
Elizabeth is the queen. Isabel es la reina.
David es el jefe. David is the boss.

This works with other informal "titles" as well:

Where is the artist? (we know there is one) ¿Dónde está el artista?
Are there any artists? ¿Hay artistas?
Is he the student (you are talking about)?  ¿Es el estudiante?
He is a student. Es estudiante.
Who are the Germans? (Point them out) ¿Quiénes son los alemanes?
Are there any Germans? ¿Hay alemanes?
Antonio, el paramédico
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