Editing Physician (section)

====American physicians====
The vast majority of [[physician in the United States|physicians trained in the United States]] have a [[Doctor of Medicine]] degree, and use the initials M.D. A smaller number attend [[Osteopathic medicine in the United States|osteopathic]] [[Medical school in the United States|medical schools]] and have a [[Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine]] degree and use the initials [[D.O.]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002020.htm |title=Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |author=Medline Plus |year=2012 |publisher=U.S. National Library of Medicine of National Institutes of Health |access-date=22 December 2012 |archive-date=5 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160705121451/https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002020.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[World Directory of Medical Schools]] lists both MD and DO granting schools as ''medical schools'' located in the United States. After completion of [[Medical school in the United States|medical school]], physicians complete a [[Residency (medicine)|residency]] in the specialty in which they will practice. Subspecialties require the completion of a [[Fellowship (medicine)|fellowship]] after residency. Both MD and DO physicians participate in the [[National Resident Matching Program]] (NRMP) and attend [[Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education|ACGME]]-accredited residencies and fellowships across all medical [[American Board of Medical Specialties|specialties]] to obtain licensure.

All boards of certification now require that physicians demonstrate, by examination, continuing mastery of the core knowledge and skills for a chosen specialty. Recertification varies by particular specialty between every seven and every ten years.