Choosing a provider to whom you can entrust your care can be difficult to the point of being overwhelming. There are so many factors to consider: Who accepts my health insurance? Which providers are accepting new patients? Can I find a provider with specific expertise in managing my chronic health issues? Will I be able to find someone who meets my gender preference and speaks my native language? Who can I trust to be sensitive to my sexual and gender identity?
To make matters more complicated, there are different types of primary care providers to choose from: MD, DO, NP, PA, Resident, Intern. What do these acronyms mean and how do I know who has the optimal training to handle my healthcare needs? If I don’t choose to see a physician am I still receiving the best possible care? Should I trust a resident or intern as much as a provider who has already completed their medical training?
While Fenway Health accepts most insurance plans, strives to accommodate patients who speak all languages, and ensures that all providers are sensitive and competent in treating patients of all sexual and gender identities, it can still be difficult to decipher which type of primary care provider is best suited for your health needs. Here is a quick guide to the types of primary care providers you’ll find in the medical department at Fenway Health and other health centers:
MD (Doctor of Medicine): A provider who holds a MD degree has completed medical school and requisite board examinations followed by a residency in their respective specialty. This is the most commonly known type of primary care provider, probably due to the longer history of the MD degree. Physicians who work in a primary care setting typically specialize in internal medicine, family medicine, adolescent medicine, pediatrics, or infectious disease. They are licensed to diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications, and depending on their specialty, perform various surgical procedures.
DO (Doctor of Osteopathy): From a legal and professional standpoint, physicians with MD and DO degrees are equivalent. Both types of physicians have similar training and education experience and are required to take the same board examinations. Like traditional medical school graduates, osteopathic medical school graduates complete a residency program and train in the same specialties and institutions as physicians with MD degrees. Like MDs, they hold medical licenses and are able to diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications, and perform surgeries applicable to their specialty.
The difference between these two types of medical degrees lies mainly in the structure of their medical curriculum. Osteopathic medicine programs emphasize a more holistic approach to learning about disease while traditional medicine programs tend to structure material by body systems. In addition, physicians who graduate from DO programs are trained in evaluating the musculoskeletal system and performing osteopathic manipulations. These manipulations, which include feeling your joints and muscles, stretching, and applying gentle pressure, can be used in addition to routine medical evaluation in order to diagnose and treat disease.
To learn more about DOs and osteopathic medicine, check out the information posted on the American Osteopathic Association website.
NP (Nurse Practitioner): A nurse practitioner is a registered nurse (RN) who has completed additional graduate level training in order to become a medical provider and make independent medical treatment decisions. Similar to physicians, nurse practitioners are required to pass board certification in a chosen specialty. NPs who work in primary care settings are often certified as a Family NP, Women’s Health NP, Adult NP, Adult Primary Care NP, or Pediatric NP.
In the primary care setting, the scope of practice between a nurse practitioner and a physician is nearly indistinguishable: they can diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications, and perform minor procedures and surgeries. The approach of NPs differs slightly from that of a physician as their medical training is rooted in the nursing model of care. Thus, they tend to emphasize patient education and patient counseling when treating disease.
For further reading about the role of a nurse practitioner, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners provides more information.
PA (Physician Assistant): Much like NPs, PAs are individuals who have completed graduate level training in order to become licensed medical providers who are able to make independent medical treatment decisions. Prior to attending graduate school, PAs must complete an educational training similar to that of a pre-med curriculum. In addition, PA programs require that prospective PA students complete a minimum number of clinical hours working in a healthcare setting.
PAs are licensed to diagnose and treat disease, prescribe medications, and perform surgical procedures as their training permits. As with NPs, the scope of practice between a physician and a PA in the primary care setting is nearly identical.
Further information about PAs and their training can be found at the American Academy of Physician Assistants website.
Resident/Intern: Residents and Interns are graduates of MD or DO programs who have completed their medical board examinations to become licensed physicians. Following graduation, physicians enter into a residency program where they are trained in their chosen specialty. A physician who is in their first-year of a residency program is typically referred to as an “intern”. During the subsequent years of residency, a physician is referred to as a “resident”. During residency, a physician will work closely with a supervising physician who consults on all their cases and ensures that all treatment plans and medical decisions are appropriate.
Fenway Health works with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to serve as a residency site for primary care residents who have an interest in gaining expertise in LGBT health and the care of patients with HIV/AIDS. A total of 8 residents are currently completing a 3-year residency with Fenway Health.
Should you choose to see a resident as your primary care provider, you can be assured that you are receiving the same quality of care as you would with any of Fenway’s medical providers. In fact, if you see a resident for a medical visit, there will be two physicians consulting on your case: the resident and their respective supervisor. In addition, residents are usually given more time to complete each appointment, which means you will probably have extra time to discuss your medical concerns.
Regardless of their credentials, all of Fenway’s medical providers are trained to handle your primary care needs. Additionally, Fenway Health has adopted the “team” model to care. This means that all of our NPs, PAs, interns, and residents are assigned to a team physician. The team works together closely and regularly meets to discuss patient care plans. If your primary care provider is booked out far in advance and you are in need of an appointment, ask if they have a team member who would be able to see you. By receiving care from providers who are members of the same team, you can be assured that you will receive continuity in care and that the team will communicate with each other to determine the best care for you.
For more information about Fenway Health’s medical providers, see the provider listing on the Fenway Health website.