Medical credential explanations

You can find an explanation of many of the common acronyms used by health practitioners in the table below.

As a general guide, to help understand the credentials, the following additional information is provided:

Diplomate - a Medical specialist whose competence has been certified by a diploma granted by an appropriate professional group.
Certification - A title received from a state-approved school after successfully completing their program.
Degree - An award conferred by a college, university or some other educational institution as official recognition for the successful completion of an academic program.
License - A license or permit usually refers to a business license or permit given by government agencies allowing the practice in a particular city, state or location.