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What Kind of Doctor or Health Professional are You??

Who does what??

MD - MD's practice in the sciences of diagnosing, treating or preventing disease and other damage to the body or mind.  It is a method of treating disease with remedies and protocols that produce effects different from those caused by the disease itself.  The cause of the disease is not used in the cure of the disease.  It is primarily the treatment of signs and symptoms that a patient presents to a doctor with.  Doctors are initially trained in acute care and crisis intervention treatments and protocols (heart attacks, trauma, auto accidents, crisis stabilization etc.).  This is where they really shine.  Doctors use words like control, managing, treating, fighting the illness.

NMD - Natural Medical Doctor - is not your typical doctor.  They are a Naturopathic Medical Doctor uniquely trained in both conventional and alternative medicine.  They are dedicated to using time-honored natural therapies, and they also have the ability to offer pharmaceutical prescription drugs when necessary. 

ND - Naturopathic Doctor - These doctors practice a distinct system of medicine that is based on a belief in the healing power of nature-and especially in the body's innate ability to fight disease and heal itself. Practiced by naturopathic doctors (also known as naturopaths or N.D.s), it incorporates a wide range of natural treatment methods, rather than drugs or surgery, to stimulate the body's own healing powers.  Among the therapies many naturopaths frequently prescribe are diet and lifestyle modifications, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, detoxification, spinal manipulation, massage therapy and more.  READ MORE . . .

DO - Doctor of Osteopathy - Osteopathic schools emphasize training students to be primary care physicians.  DO's practice a "whole person" approach to medicine.  Instead of just treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard your body as an integrated whole.  Osteopathic physicians focus on preventive health care.  DO's receive extra training on the musculoskeletal system - your body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones that make up two-thirds of its body mass. This training provides osteopathic physicians with a better understanding of the ways that an injury or illness in one part of your body can affect another.

• It gives DO's a therapeutic and diagnostic advantage over those who do not receive additional specialized training.  Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is incorporated in the training and practice of osteopathic physicians. 

• OMT allows physicians to use their hands to diagnose injury and illness and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health.  By combining all other medical procedures with OMT, DO's offer their patients the most comprehensive care available in medicine today.  READ MORE . . .

DPM - Doctor of Podiatric Medicine - Podiatrists specialize in medical care of the foot, ankle, and lower leg. They must have a doctor of podiatric medicine (D.P.M.) degree from a college of podiatric medicine.  Podiatrists are sometimes referred to as foot doctors, foot and ankle surgeons, or podiatric surgeons.  They must pass written and oral board examinations and must obtain a state license to practice podiatric medicine.

CP - Chiropractic Physician's practice a branch of the healing arts which is concerned with human health and disease processes.  Doctors of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular, nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.

• The practice and procedures which may be employed by Doctors of Chiropractic are based on the academic and clinical training received in and through accredited chiropractic colleges and include, but are not limited to, the use of current diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.  Such procedures specifically include the adjustment and manipulation of the articulations and adjacent tissues of the human body, particularly of the spinal column.  Included is the treatment of intersegmental aberrations for alleviation of related functional disorders.

• Chiropractic is a drug-free, non-surgical science and, as such, does not include pharmaceuticals or incisive surgery.  Due regard shall be given to the fact that state laws, as well as the nation's antitrust laws, may allow Doctors of Chiropractic to utilize ancillary health care procedures commonly referred to as being in the common domain.

DAOM - Oriental Medical Doctor (O.M.D.): Either represents a practitioner trained comprehensively in the principles and practice of Oriental medicine in China, or a degree awarded by some schools in the USA, prior to the establishment of the nationally accredited masters level program.  It must be borne in mind that many acupuncturists and Oriental medicine practitioners are also trained in all other Oriental treatment modalities.

RN - A registered nurse who has graduated from a formal program of nursing education (diploma school, associate degree or baccalaureate program) and is licensed by the appropriate state authority. 

• Registered nurses constitute the largest health care occupation, with 2.4 million jobs.
• About 3 out of 5 jobs are in hospitals.
• The three major educational paths to registered nursing are a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree, and a diploma from an approved nursing program.
• Registered nurses are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations; job opportunities in most specialties and employment settings are expected to be excellent, with some employers reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining enough RNs.

NP - A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed additional courses and specialized training is a specific clinical area.  Nurse practitioners can work with or without the supervision of a physician.  They take on additional duties in diagnosis and treatment of patients, and in many states they may write prescriptions. 

CNM - Clinical Nurse Midwife

LMT - Licensed Massage Therapist

RDT - Registered Dietitian

PA - Physician Assistant - They are trained under a medical model as are medical doctors.  PA's must work under a primary medical doctor.  They are formally trained to provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive health care services, as delegated by a physician. 

• Physician Assistant programs usually last at least 2 years; admission requirements vary by program, but many require at least 2 years of college and some health care experience.
• All States require physician assistants to complete an accredited education program and to pass a national exam in order to obtain a license.
• Physician Assistants rank among the fastest growing occupations, as physicians and health care institutions increasingly utilize Physician Assistants in order to contain costs. 
• Job opportunities should be good, particularly in rural and inner city clinics.

PT - Physical Therapist

CNA - In the United States, Certified Nursing Assistants, Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs), or Nursing Assistants- Registered (NA/Rs), assist residents or patients with activities of daily living and provide bedside care—including basic nursing procedures—all under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse.

MHC - Mental Health Counselor