What does allopathic medicine mean? Allopathic medicine is the practice of medicine in which a disease is treated by producing a second condition that is antagonistic to the first. Allopathic physicians use the title M.D. after their names. The Arizona Medical Board licenses and regulates allopathic physicians.

How is an allopathic physician (MD) different from an osteopathic physician (DO)? An allopathic (M.D.) and an osteopathic (D.O.) physician are alike in many ways. Both complete four years of basic medical education, and typically have a four-year undergraduate degree with an emphasis on scientific courses. They may select to practice in a specialty area of medicine after completing a residency program, and must pass comparable state licensing examinations. D.O.'s receive extra training in the musculoskeletal system, the body's interconnected system of nerves, muscles and bones as osteopathic physicians seek to understand the interrelationship between these systems and the ways an injury or illness in one part of your body affects another. The Arizona Osteopathic Board of Examiners in Medicine and Surgery licenses and regulates osteopathic physicians.

What is a physician assistant? A physician assistant (PA) is a person who is licensed to perform healthcare tasks under the supervision of a physician. A physician may delegate a variety of health care tasks to a physician assistant such as obtaining patient histories, performing physical evaluations, ordering and performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, formulating a diagnostic impression, developing and implementing a treatment plan, and monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. PAs may also assist in surgery, offer counseling and education to meet patient needs, make appropriate referrals, prescribe controlled substances, perform minor surgery and perform other nonsurgical health care tasks. The Arizona Regulatory Board of Physician Assistants licenses and regulates PAs.

What is a medical assistant? A medical assistant (MA) is an unlicensed person who assists in the medical practice under the supervision of a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner and performs delegated procedures commensurate with the MA’s education and training. An MA does not diagnose, interpret, design or modify established treatment programs or perform any functions that would violate any statute applicable to the practice of medicine. MAs are not licensed nor regulated in Arizona.