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Does Your Plastic Surgeon Hold a License to Practice Medicine?
A doctor's state license is very important. Your surgeon must hold a valid license to practice medicine in the state where he or she will perform your procedure.
A license to practice medicine is a minimum standard necessary to practice medicine in a given state. The licensing of physicians and surgeons is administered by the states. The standards are established and all actions taken by a state medical board in granting a license, suspending it or withdrawing it are matters of public record. Many doctors are licensed to practice in more than one state.
Most states call the regulatory agency that oversees the licensing of doctors either a medical board or a board of medical examiners. In some states, the same board oversees licensing of dentists and nurses and is called a health professions board.
Don't confuse a state's medical licensing board with a medical specialty board, which a national organization that certifies doctors within a specialty. Having a state medical board issue a license to practice medicine is something very different from being board-certified in a specialty.
A surgeon can be either a Medical Doctor (MD) or a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO), which is an osteopathic physician. The initials denote what type of a doctoral degree they have earned. Both types of surgeon are usually licensed through the same state agency. Osteopathy differs very little from medicine, but it has a different underlying philosophy and emphasizes the role of the musculoskeletal system in health. DOs are taught to focus on preventive health care and treat the body as a whole
Most plastic surgeons are medical doctors (who practice allopathic medicine, but you rarely see that phrase). Osteopathic physicians usually become primary care physicians, but there are some who are plastic surgeons. The American Osteopathic Association (the equivalent of the American Medical Association) has special requirements to achieve certification for specialty boards, such as dermatology, plastic surgery, and anesthesiology.
Most states medical boards allow you to verify your doctor's medical license online, but some require a request by telephone or even a written request.
You can find a complete list of state medical boards at the directory website of the Federation of State Medical boards.
We have provided the below information to assist you in researching your surgeon. Please refer to the finding Finding a Surgeon section to determine the proper credentials and training a surgeon should have when choosing him or her to perform your surgery.
click a letter for the state beginning with that letter
A | C | D | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W
Alabama:
Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners
Larry D. Dixon, Executive Administrator
P.O. Box 946
Montgomery, AL 36101-0946
(street address: 848 Washington Ave., 36104)
(334) 242-4116 - Fax:(334) 242-4155
(800) 227-2606
www.albme.org
Alaska:
Alaska State Medical Board
Leslie G. Abel, Executive Secretary
3601 C Street, Suite 722
Anchorage, AK 99503-5986
(907) 269-8160 - Fax:(907) 269-8156
www.state.ak.us/local
Arizona:
Arizona Board of Medical Examiners
Claudia Foutz, Executive Director
9545 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
(480) 551-2700 - Fax: (480) 551-2704
www.docboard.org/bomex/index.htm
Arkansas:
Arkansas State Medical Board
Peggy P. Cryer, Executive Secretary
2100 Riverfront Dr., Suite 200
Little Rock, AR 72202-1793
(501) 296-1802 - Fax:(501) 296-1805
California:
Medical Board of California
Ronald Joseph, Executive Director
1426 Howe Ave., Suite 54
Sacramento, CA 95825-3236
(916) 263-2389 - Fax:(916) 263-2387
(800) 633-2322
www.medbd.ca.gov
California Society of Plastic Surgeons
Colorado:
Colorado Board of Medical Examiners
Susan Miller, Program Administrator
1560 Broadway, Suite 1300
Denver, CO 80202-5140
(303) 894-7690 - Fax:(303) 894-7692
Connecticut:
Connecticut Medical Examining Board
Jeff Kardys, Board Liaison
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
(street address 410 Capitol Ave. MS13PHO)
(860) 509-7648 - Fax:(860) 509-7553
Delaware:
Delaware Board of Medical Practice
Douglas J. Reed, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
(street address: 861 Silver Lake Blvd., Cannon Building, Suite 203, 19904)
(302) 739-4522 - Fax:(302) 739-2711
District of Columbia:
District of Columbia Board of Medicine
James R. Granger, Jr., Executive Director
825 North Capital Street, NE, 2nd floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 442-9200 - Fax:(202) 442-9431
Florida:
Florida Board of Medicine
Tanya J. Williams, Executive Director
4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN #C03
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1753
(850) 245-4131 - Fax:(850) 922-3040
*http://www.doh.state.fl.us/IRM00profiling/searchform.ASP
www.doh.state.fl.us
Florida Quality Assurance Homepage
G
Georgia:
Georgia Composite State Board of Medical Examiners
Karen Mason, Executive Director
2 Peachtree Street, NW, 6th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30303-3465
(404) 656-3913 - Fax:(404) 656-9723
Hawaii:
Hawaii Board of Medical Examiners
Constance Cabral-Makanani, Executive Officer
Dept. of Commerce & Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
(street address: 1010 Richards St., 96813)
(808) 586-3000 - Fax:(808) 586-2874
Idaho:
Idaho State Board of Medicine
Darleene Thorsted, Executive Director
Statehouse mail
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0058
(street address: 1755 Westgate Drive, Suite 140, 83704)
(208) 327-7000 - Fax:(208) 327-7005
www.idacare.org
Illinois:
Illinois Department of Professional Regulation
Leonard Sherman, Director
(Discipline)
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph St., 9-300
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-4500 - Fax:(312) 814-1837
Alicia Purchase, Board Liaison
(Licensure)
320 W. Washington St., 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62786
(217) 785-0800 / Fax:(217) 524-2169
www.dpr.state.il.us
Indiana:
Indiana Health Professions Bureau
Beth Anne Compton, J.D., Executive Director
402 W. Washington St., Room 041
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-2960 / Fax:(317) 233-4236
www.ai.org/hpb
Iowa:
Iowa Board of Medical Examiners
Ann E. Mowery, Ph.D., Executive Director
Iowa Board of Medical Examiners
400 SW 8th Street, Suite C
Des Moines, Iowa 50309-4686
Phone: (515) 281-5171 - Fax: (515) 242-5908
Iowa Board of Medical Examiners
K
Kansas:
Kansas Board of Healing Arts
Lawrence Buening, Jr., JD, Executive Director
235 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66603-3068
(913) 296-7413 - Fax:(913) 296-0852
www.ink.org/public/boha
Kentucky:
Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure
C. William Schmidt, Executive Director
Hurstbourne Office Park
310 Whittington Parkway, Suite 1B
Louisville, KY 40222-4916
(502) 429-8046 - Fax:(502) 429-9923
www.state.ky.us/agencies/kbml
L
Louisiana:
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
Delmar Rorison, Executive Director
P.O. Box 30250
New Orleans, LA 70190-0250
(street address: 630 Camp St., 70130)
(504) 524-6763 - Fax:(504) 568-8893
Maine:
Maine Board of Licensure in Medicine
Randal C. Manning, Executive Director
137 State House Station (U.S. mail)
2 Bangor Street, 2nd Floor (delivery service)
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 287-3601 - Fax:(207) 287-6590
www.docboard.org/me/me_home.htm
Maryland:
Maryland Board of Physician Quality Assurance
J. Michael Compton, Executive Director
P.O. Box 2571
Baltimore, MD 21215-0095
(street address: 4201 Patterson Ave., third floor, 21215)
(410) 764-4777 - Fax:(410) 358-2252
(800) 492-6836
www.docboard.org/md/default.htm
Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine
Nancy Achin Sullivan, Executive Director
10 West St., 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 727-3086 - Fax:(617) 451-9568
(800) 377-0550
www.massmedboard.org
Minnesota:
Minnesota Board of Medical Practice
Robert A. Leach, JD, Executive Director
University Park Plaza
2829 University Ave. SE, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55414-3246
(612) 617-2130 - Fax:(612) 617-2166
Hearing impaired 1-800-627-3529
www.bmp.state.mn.us
Mississippi:
Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure
W. Joseph Burnett, MD, Director
1867 Crane Ridge Drive, Suite 200B
Jackson, MS 39216
(601) 987-3079 - Fax:(601) 987-4159
www.msbml.state.ms.us
Missouri:
Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts
Tina M. Steinman, Executive Director
P.O. Box 4
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(street address: 3605 Missouri Blvd., 65109)
(573) 751-0098 - Fax:(573) 751-3166
www.ecodev.state.mo.us/pr/healarts/
Montana:
Montana Board of Medical Examiners
Charlene Norris, JD, Executive Director
P.O. Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
(street address: 301 S. Park Ave., 4th floor)
(406) 444-4284 - Fax: (406) 841-2363
www.com.state.mt.us/../board_page.htm
New Hampshire:
Nebraska Health and Human Services,
Regulation and Licensure Credentialing Division
Becky Wisell, Executive Secretary
P.O. Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
(street address: 301 Centennial Mall South, 68508)
(402) 471-2118 - Fax:(402) 471-3577
www.hhs.state.ne.us/
Nevada:
Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners
Larry D. Lessly, JD, Executive Director
P.O. Box 7238
Reno, NV 89510
(street address: 1105 Terminal Way, Suite 301, 89502)
(702) 688-2559 - Fax:(702) 688-2321
www.state.nv.us/medical
New Jersey:
New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners
William V. Roeder, Executive Director
P.O. Box 183
Trenton, NJ 08608
(street address: 140 E. Front Street, 2nd Floor, 08608)
(609) 826-7100 - Fax:(609) 984-3930
www.state.nj.us
New Mexico:
New Mexico State Board of Medical Examiners
Charlotte Kinney, Executive Director
Lamy Building, 2nd Floor
491 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505) 476-7120 - Fax:(505) 476-7095
New York:
New York State Board for Medicine (Licensure)
Thomas J. Monahan, Executive Secretary
Cultural Education Center, Room 3023
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12230
(518) 474-3841 - Fax:(518) 486-4846
www.op.nysed.gov
New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct (Discipline)
Anne F. Saile, Executive Director
New York State Dept. of Health
Office of Professional Medical Conduct
433 River St., Suite 303
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 402-0855 - Fax:(518) 402-0866
www.health.state.ny.us/
North Carolina:
North Carolina Medical Board
Andrew W. Watry, M.P.A., Executive Director
P.O. Box 20007
Raleigh, NC 27619-0007
(street address: 1201 Front Street, 27609)
(919) 326-1100 - Fax:(919) 326-1130
/www.docboard.org/nc/
North Dakota:
North Dakota State Board of Medical Examiners
Rolf P. Sletten, JD, Executive Secretary/Treasurer
City Center Plaza
418 E. Broadway, Suite 12
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701) 328-6500 - Fax:(701) 328-6505
O
Ohio:
State Medical Board of Ohio
Ray Bumgarner, J.D., Executive Director
77 S. High St., 17th Floor
Columbus, OH 43266-0315 (for Fed Ex delivery use zip 43215)
(614) 466-3934 - Fax:(614) 728-5946
(800) 554-7717
Oklahoma:
Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision
Lyle Kelsey, C.A.E., Executive Director
P.O. Box 18256
Oklahoma City, OK 73154-0256
(street address 5104 N. Francis, Suite C, 73118)
(405) 848-6841 - Fax:(405) 848-8240
(800) 381-4519
www.osbmls.state.ok.us
Oregon:
Oregon Board of Medical Examiners
Kathleen Haley, JD, Executive Director
620 Crown Plaza
1500 SW First Avenue
Portland, OR 97201-5826
(503) 229-5770 - Fax:(503) 229-6543
Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine
Cindy L. Warner, Administrator
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649
124 Pine Street, 17101
(717) 787-2381 - Fax:(717) 787-7769
www.dos.state.pa.us
Puerto Rico:
Board of Medical Examiners of Puerto Rico
Ivonne Fernandez Colon, Executive Director
P.O. Box 13969
San Juan, PR 00908
(street address: Kennedy Avenue, ILA Building,
Hogar del Obrero Portuario, Piso 8, Puerto Nuevo, 00920)
(787) 782-8989 - Fax:(787) 782-8733
R
Rhode Island:
Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline
Milton W. Hamolosky, M.D., Chief Officer
Dept. of Health
Cannon Building, Room 205
Three Capitol Hill
Providence, RI 02908-5097
(401) 222-3855 - Fax:(401) 222-2158
www.docboard.org/ri/main.htm
S
South Carolina:
South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation
Board of Medical Examiners
John Volmer, interim Board Administrator
P.O. Box 11289
Columbia, SC 29211-1289
(street address: 110 Centerview Drive, Suite 202, 29210)
(803) 896-4500 - Fax:(803) 896-4515
www.llr.state.sc.us./me.htm
South Dakota:
South Dakota State Board of
Medical and Osteopathic Examiners
L. Paul Jensen, Executive Secretary
1323 S. Minnesota Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(605) 334-8343 - Fax:(605) 336-0270
T
Tennessee:
Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
Yarnell Beatty, JD, Executive Director
1st Floor, Cordell Hull Building
425 5th Ave. North
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
(615) 532-4384 - Fax:(615) 532-5369
www.state.tn.us/health
Texas:
Texas State Board of Medical Examiners
Bruce A. Levy, JD, MD, Executive Director
P.O. Box 2018
Austin, TX 78768-2018
(street address: 333 Guadalupe, Tower 3, Suite 630, 78701
(512) 305-7010 - Fax: (512) 305-7008
Disciplinary Hotline (800) 248-4062
Consumer Complaint Hotline (800) 201-9353
Utah:
Utah Department of Commerce
Div. of Occupational & Professional Licensure
Gary Bowen, Division Director
P.O. Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741
(street address: Heber M. Wells Building, 4th Floor, 160 E 300 South, 84102)
(801) 530-6628 - Fax:(801) 530-6511
Utah State Plastic Surgery Society
V
Vermont:
Vermont Board of Medical Practice
Gloria J. Hurd, Executive Director
109 State St.
Montpelier, VT 05609-1106
(802) 828-2673 - Fax:(802) 828-5450
www.docboard.org/vt/vermont.htm
Vermont Board of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons
Rita Knapp, Executive Director
26 Terrace Street, Drawer 09
Montpelier, VT 05609-1106
(802) 828-2373 - Fax:(802) 828-2465
www.sec.state.vt.us
Virgin Islands:
Virgin Islands Board of Medical Examiners
Lydia Scott, Executive Director
Virgin Islands Dept. of Health
48 Sugar Estate
St. Thomas, VI 00802
(340) 774-0117- Fax:(340) 777-4001
Virginia:
Virginia Board of Medicine
William L. Harp, MD, Executive Director
6606 W. Broad St., 4th Floor
Richmond, VA 23230-1717
(804) 662-9908 - Fax:(804) 662-9517
Washington:
Washington Medical Quality Assurance Commission
Bonnie L. King, Executive Director
P.O. Box 47866
Olympia, WA 98504-7866
(street address: 1300 SE Quince Street, 98501)
(360) 236-4800 - Fax:(360) 586-4573
www.doh.wa.gov
Washington State Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery
Robert Nicoloff, Executive Director
P.O Box 47870
Olympia, WA 98504-7866
(street address: 1300 SE Quince Street, 98501)
(360) 236-4943 - Fax:(360) 586-0745
www.doh.wa.gov
West Virginia:
West Virginia Board of Osteopathy
Joseph E. Schreiber, D.O., Secretary
334 Penco Rd.
Weirton, WV 26062
(304) 723-4638 - Fax:(304) 723-2877
Wisconsin:
Wisconsin Medical Examining Board
Patrick D. Braatz, Division Administrator
Dept. of Regulation & Licensing
P.O. Box 8935
Madison, WI 53708-8935
(street address: 1400 E. Washington Ave., 53703)
(608) 266-2112 - Fax:(608) 267-0644
http://badger.state.wi.us
Wyoming:
Wyoming Board of Medicine
Carole Shotwell, J.D., Executive Secretary
211 W. 19th St., Colony Bldg., 2nd floor
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 778-7053 - Fax:(307) 778-2069
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