Medical practice
Encyclopedia
A medical practice or practice of medicine is the practice of medicine
, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician
(medical doctor). Typically, practicing 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
. Use of terms and title
s such as "Medical Practitioner," and the representations of oneself as a medical doctor, 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 medical doctor, such as physician assistant
s.
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 certificate
s, cremation
forms, do not resuscitate
orders and drug prescriptions
. The medical practitioner is the person who is ultimately responsible for care of the patient.
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
, as performed by a medical practitioner—a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
(medical doctor). Typically, practicing medicine involves giving a diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
and prescribing
Medical prescription
A prescription is a health-care program implemented by a physician or other medical practitioner in the form of instructions that govern the plan of care for an individual patient. Prescriptions may include orders to be performed by a patient, caretaker, nurse, pharmacist or other therapist....
a treatment for medical condition.
In developed countries
Developed country
A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue...
, only qualified persons—those with the appropriate licensure
Licensure
Licensure refers to the granting of a license, which gives a "permission to practice." Such licenses are usually issued in order to regulate some activity that is deemed to be dangerous or a threat to the person or the public or which involves a high level of specialized skill...
, certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
, or registration with a relevant body, often governmental
Government agency
A government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
—are legally permitted to practice medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Such licensure usually requires a medical degree
Medical degree
A medical degree is, broadly defined, any academic degree which places its holder in a position to engage in the practice of medicine. BBC has reported that Medicine related degree programs such as MBBS, BDS and PharmD are the most difficult degree programs of all the other Bachelor degree programs...
, such as the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
. Use of terms and title
Title
A title is a prefix or suffix added to someone's name to signify either veneration, an official position or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may even be inserted between a first and last name...
s such as "Medical Practitioner," and the representations of oneself as a medical doctor, is often protected by the law. For example, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, unauthorized practice of medicine, like unauthorized practice of law
Practice of law
In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiations and court proceedings such as lawsuits, and is applied to the professional services of a lawyer or attorney at law, barrister,...
, is a crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
.
The term medical practitioner implies the ability to practice medicine independently of supervision. The term health care professional
Health care provider
A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities....
(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 medical doctor, such as physician assistant
Physician assistant
A physician assistant/associate ' is a healthcare professional trained and licensed to practice medicine with limited supervision by a physician.-General description:...
s.
Often certain privileges are granted only to medical practitioners. For example, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
(GMC) is legally obliged to maintain a Principal List of Registered Medical Practitioners, and only Registered Medical Practitioners have the authority to sign death certificate
Death certificate
The phrase death certificate can describe either a document issued by a medical practitioner certifying the deceased state of a person or popularly to a document issued by a person such as a registrar of vital statistics that declares the date, location and cause of a person's death as later...
s, cremation
Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing bodies to basic chemical compounds such as gasses and bone fragments. This is accomplished through high-temperature burning, vaporization and oxidation....
forms, do not resuscitate
Do not resuscitate
In medicine, a "do not resuscitate" or "DNR" is a legal order written either in the hospital or on a legal form to respect the wishes of a patient to not undergo CPR or advanced cardiac life support if their heart were to stop or they were to stop breathing...
orders and drug prescriptions
Prescription drug
A prescription medication is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a medical prescription before it can be obtained. The term is used to distinguish it from over-the-counter drugs which can be obtained without a prescription...
. The medical practitioner is the person who is ultimately responsible for care of the patient.