Find and prepare for care
Check the clinician’s licence.
A licence gives permission to practise, and the state medical board holds a doctor’s public licence record.a
Start with the person’s full name. A photograph is not a licence record.
Get the clinician’s full name and role
Ask for the clinician’s full name, professional role and the board that holds their licence record.
Open your state’s medical board
State medical boards publish whether a doctor has a licence, along with any public action taken against that doctor. What they publish varies by state.a
The national medical boards’ directory links to state and territorial medical boards.b
For a doctor, open the board for your state from that directory and find its licence search.
Match the record to the person
Compare the full name and licence information with the clinician’s details. Record anything you need the board or clinician to clarify.
Check the place of the visit
As of September 26, 2026, a doctor giving online care generally needed a licence or another form of permission in the patient’s state during the visit.c
Let the service know where you will be: name the state for the visit, especially if you will be travelling. Ask which licence or other permission covers the doctor there. The state medical board can explain the record.
Keep the limit in view
A board record showing no public action against a doctor is not proof of good care from that doctor.a
The record tells you about permission to practise. Keep asking how the clinician will assess your problem and answer questions after the visit.