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Most of us are familiar with MD after a doctor's name. This stands for doctor of medicine and signifies that this person has completed four years of medical school. But would you know if your doctor is a DO? And what about the other people seeing you, checking vitals, writing prescriptions, and filling in charts - PAs and NPs - what type of training do they have and what services can they offer?

MDs and DOs

A DO is a doctor of osteopathic medicine. According to the American Osteopathic Association, approximately 5% of physicians in the United States are DOs.

MDs and DOs are very similar and both must complete:

• Medical school

• Residency programs, which involves three to six years of additional training

• Pass state licensing exams (obtain licenses to prescribe medicine and perform procedures)

• Practice in accredited hospitals and medical centers

• Earn continuing education units to remain certified

There are also some distinctions between these types of physicians:

• Osteopathic medical schools focus on primary care medicine. Therefore, the majority of DOs practice in areas of primary care, such as pediatrics, family practice, obstetrics/gynecology, and internal medicine.

• DOs receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system. This system consists of interconnected muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones.
  

Physician Assistants

A physician assistant (PA) is a health professional who is licensed to practice medicine under the supervision of a physician. A PA can do the following:

• Obtain a medical history and perform a physical exam

• Diagnose and treat illnesses

• Order and interpret tests such as lab work and x-rays

• Counsel on preventive health and lifestyle practices

• Prescribe medications in most states

A PA can work in any area of medicine, but the majority of PAs work in primary care medicine (pediatrics, family practice, obstetrics/gynecology and internal medicine).

Education for PAs

To become a PA, one must complete an accredited PA educational program and pass a national certification exam. Once certified, PAs take continuing medical education classes and are retested on their skills regularly.

PA education is designed to complement physician training. Education consists of classroom and laboratory instruction in the basic medical and behavioral sciences as well as clinical rotations in primary care fields, surgery, emergency medicine and geriatric medicine.

Nurse Practitioners

A nurse practitioner (NP) is a registered nurse (RN) with a master's degree in nursing and clinical training in a health care specialty area. The services an NP can provide vary depending on each state's regulations. In general, NPs can do the following:

• Obtain a medical history and perform a physical exam

• Diagnose, treat, and monitor illnesses and injuries

• Order and interpret tests such as lab work and X-rays

• Counsel on preventive health and lifestyle practices

• Prescribe medications, in most states
  

Nurse practitioners can work in primary care (pediatrics, family practice, obstetrics/gynecology and internal medicine) or specialty areas of medicine, such as emergency medicine, oncology and psychiatry.

Education for NPs

The path to becoming an NP usually begins with nursing school, followed by licensure as an RN. After a few years of work experience, an RN can apply to a master's degree program in nursing (generally 1-2 years of school and a supervised internship). Most NPs are nationally certified in their specialty area.

Both Physician Assistants (PA) and Nurse Practitioners (NP) are vital members of your health care team.

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