How to Check a Doctor
Jason DelCollo, DO, is board-certified in family medicine and on the faculty of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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One important step in choosing the right doctor is to do a background check on that physician. You can research a doctor’s credentials to be sure he or she is competent to take care of you.
It’s not always possible to research ahead of time. For example, you may be assigned a doctor in an emergency room or you must see a different doctor because yours is out when you arrive for Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max 256 GB Gold an appointment.
You may not have the time to do research on that doctor before you are examined but you can do so as soon as possible afterward. If you find you don’t like that doctors’ background, you can try to change doctors later.
Where to Start.
To research a doctor, you’ll need to start with his or her name and location. Go to the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) website to check the basics with their DocInfo.org search function. You will find the doctor’s board certifications, education, states with active licenses, and any actions against the physician.
License.
Each state licenses doctors. With no license, the doctor is not allowed to practice medicine. You can further research the doctor with the state physician licensing board in each state where he or she is licensed.
Board Certification.
Doctors may claim various board certifications in medical specialties. These credentials are verified by medical facilities who employ them or grant them privileges, but you may check board certification as well. Doctors may be board-certified in one area, but actually practicing in a different area of medicine.
Medical School and Residency.
For an older doctor, this may be less important than one who is younger and just getting started in practice. You may not know how old a doctor is when all you have is a name, so this information will give you some insight into his or her background and education credentials.
The FSMB site shows medical school education and graduation dates. In some states, there will be more information about residency on their licensing site. For others, you’ll get the information most quickly at a site like UCompareHealthcare.
