A good friend was having some urinary problems and said she was seeing a new urologist. The treatment she told me about didn't make any sense and I asked if the doctor was board-certified. "How do I find that out", she asked? I said there are three ways: the first is to check the Web site of the Medical Board of California (or your state) that lists doctors. It gives a doctor's date of graduation from medical school and training. The second way is to look at the doctor's card and the third way is to call the doctor's office and ask the secretary.
When my friend looked at the doctor's card she said it read "Board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology." It added female urology problems. When I explained that the doctor was not a urologist, my friend was angry and upset. Obviously she had been badly misled was not getting the treatment she needed. Another friend did not know what the initials D.O. meant and didn't realize that the doctor who was about to do a D and C on her was not an M.D. Both of these women are older and intelligent, so I was amazed at their lack of knowledge about medical personnel.
There are now many initials that people in "health-care" fields are using after their names, so you have to be very careful. You should always know what a doctor's training has been and if he or she is an M.D., D.O., nurse practitioner or physician's assistant. If a nurse gets a Ph.D in nursing, she may call herself a doctor. She is not an M.D. and does not have the training that a board-certified physician has.
So never be afraid to ask questions and do research. It could mean the diffrence between unnecessary treatment or surgery or it could be life-saving!
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