Acronyms.
You’ve seen them, the string of letters doctors use to say, “Hey, I’m a good guy!”
“Dr. Williams M.D. ACS, ASPS, ABCDEFG” sounds impressive (disclaimer: I only have the M.D., maybe i need to up my game?). But, what does any of it mean to you?
If you’re looking at care abroad, this can feel even more confusing.
I’ll help you translate this mysterious language to clear things up and save you some time on ChatGPT.
Professional titles
These indicate a provider’s level of training. They may vary by location, but in general:
Physicians:
M.D. and D.O Medical Doctor/Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
The two types of physicians in North America. Both complete medical school, residency, and have full practice rights in US and Canada.
MD is widely recognized globally; DO is mostly used in US/Canada.
MBBS/MBChB Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery
The most common medical degree worldwide. Functionally equivalent to MD or DO in qualifying as a physician.
MBChB is simply the latinized version (I’ll save you the headache of reading the full spelling).
Dentists:
DDS and DMD Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry
Used in North America. Different names, same training, same qualification to practice dentistry.
BDS Bachelor of Dental Surgery
The global equivalent (UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia). Same training and scope to DDS/DMD.
Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
Midlevel providers with advanced training who are not physicians.
NP or APRN Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner
International equivalents include ANP or ACP (Advanced Nurse/Care Practitioner)
PA Physician’s Assistant/Associate, mostly US based.
These credentials are the first layer of credibility. If a provider doesn’t hold a recognized clinical title, that’s a red flag.
Accreditation
You’ll see a lot of “XYZ GOLD STAR Accredited!” on hospital websites. It can look purely promotional, but can be a useful way to gauge if a facility adheres to recognized safety standards.
There are dozens, so I keep it simple, the big ones:
The Joint Commission (TJC) is the primary hospital accrediting body in the US. They evaluate facilities for safety practices (patient centered care, anesthesia and surgical safety, infection control, communication, and more).
Joint Commission International (JCI) is the international arm of TJC. It’s also the accreditation you’ll most often see promoted by hospitals that serve medical travelers.
ISQua EEA (International Society for Quality in Healthcare External Evaluation Association, I know a long one). ISQua accredits the organizations that accredit hospitals, including JCI.
If a facility is accredited by an ISQua-recognized accreditor, that’s a meaningful sign that their standards and protocols have been extensively validated.
You can find ISQua-recognized accreditors here.
Accreditation isn’t everything, but JCI or other ISQua-recognized accreditation is an easy-to-spot signal of well-run facilities.
Professional Societies
These are groups that providers and hospitals join to signal professionalism, standards, and engagement in their field.
While they are not accreditation bodies, and membership is often less rigorous to obtain (typically with a fee), they still carry value.
Here’s some examples:
Plastic Surgery: ISAPS (International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery), ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgeons).
Fertility: ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine), ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology).
Dentistry: ICOI (International Congress of Oral Implantologists), AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry).
Participation in reputable societies usually requires ongoing education, peer accountability, and commitment to best practices.
Provider membership in these groups is another positive signal that you’re dealing with a serious, engaged professional.
Bottom Line
These basics give you a quick first pass sense of how credible a provider may be.
But remember: this is the bare minimum.
Safe medical care requires deeper vetting, but understanding credentials, accreditation, and societies gives you a head start when evaluating your options confidently.
That’s all for today, I’ll see you Wednesday for a deeper feature.
What’s the first thing you google when evaluating a clinic or doctor? Just hit reply, I answer all emails.
Thanks for reading,
Kyle
Other Posts: https://welltraveled.health/archive
If you’re enjoying the newsletter, do me a favor and shoot this over to a friend or healthcare group and tell them to sign-up. The bigger the community, the safer we can make medical travel and global wellness.