| Type of Practitioner | Philosophy | Educational Requirements | Accreditation | Treatment Methods | Specialties | Continuing Medical Education | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DO* | Scientific-based holistic treatment with additional training in the musculoskeletal system | 4-yr. College degree 4-yr. Medical school 1-yr. Internship 2-7 yrs. Residency for specialists | Must pass national board examination to obtain a license | Standard medical therapies plus osteopathic manipulation | 49 accredited specialties and subspecialties, including osteopathic manipulation | Arizona requires 40 CME credits per two-year cycle | |
| MD* | Scientific-based treatment focusing on disease | 4-yr. college degree 4-yr. Medical school 1-yr. Internship 2-7 yrs. Residency for specialists | Must pass national board examination to obtain a license | Standard medical therapies for acute and chronic diseases | 90 accredited specialties and subspecialties | Arizona requires 20 CME credits per year | |
*Only DOs and MDs are full service physicians licensed to prescribe medicine and perform surgery. | |||||||
| Believes a substance can cure the same problems it causes; uses dilute forms of medicines to stimulate the body to heal itself | Must be licensed healthcare provider; training depends on specific profession | Certification depends on type of provider (DO, MD, ND, other); licensed in AZ, CT, NV | Treats a wide range of maladies through specially formulated homeopathic medicines | Homeopaths do not focus on the disease process, rather they treat individuals to restore vitality and mind/body health | N/A | ||
| Naturopath | Treats patients without prescription drugs or major surgery through a variety of alternative therapies | 4-yr. Naturopathic college, 1-yr. Internship in natural medicine; some practitioners may only have 3 mths. Training by correspondence course | Licensed in 11 states (including Arizona) through state licensing board examination | Methods include nutrition, herbal medicines, homeopathy, exercise, biofeedback, counseling, acupuncture, hydrotherapy | Nutrition, botanical medicine, manipulative therapies, natural childbirth, oriental medicine, counseling, stress management, minor surgery | Required to renew license in states that require board exam | |
| Chiropractor | Focuses on spinal manipulation, believes imbalances in spine can lead to musculoskeletal and neurological problems | Associate degree plus 4-yr. Chiropractic college; additional training for physiotherapy and acupuncture | Must pass a national board examination to obtain a license | Adjusts spine and extremities; can order x-rays, lab work and diagnostic imaging; cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery | Most treatment involves back and spine, also physiotherapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, nutritional counseling | N/A | |
