Medical Practice

A medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician. Typically, practising medicine involves giving a diagnosis and prescribing a treatment for medical condition.

In developed countries, only qualified persons—those with the appropriate licensure, certification, or registration with a relevant body, often governmental—are legally permitted to practice medicine. Such licensure usually requires a medical degree, such as the Doctor of Medicine or the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Use of terms and titles such as "Medical Practitioner," and the representations of oneself as a physician, is often protected by the law. For example, in the United States, unauthorized practice of medicine, like unauthorized practice of law, is a crime.

The term medical practitioner implies the ability to practice medicine independently of supervision. The term health care professional (or health care provider), by contrast, is a much broader term including professionals who practice independently under an alternate profession, such as nurses, or who practice medicine under the supervision of a physician, such as physician assistants.

Often certain privileges are granted only to medical practitioners. For example, in the United Kingdom, the General Medical Council (GMC) is legally obliged to maintain a Principal List of Registered Medical Practitioners, and only Registered Medical Practitioners have the authority to sign death certificates, cremation forms, do not resuscitate orders and drug prescriptions. The medical practitioner is the person who is ultimately responsible for care of the patient.

In today's modern world patients are taking an ever increasing interest in their health management and are making their own decisions regarding treatment options. They are making full use of on line information readily available to them regarding physicians and their clinical expertise.

There are various publications and internet sites available to both physicians who wish to refer patients and also to the general public wishing to access specialist physicians.