The MD medical abbreviation stands for Doctor of Medicine, the degree earned by graduating from an allopathic medical school. It comes from the Latin Medicinae Doctor, which explains why the letters run M then D. In everyday speech people say "medical doctor," and MD is the most familiar abbreviation for a physician.
The letters trail a physician's name on ID badges, prescriptions, referral letters and signed notes. In some charts, though, MD stands for a condition such as macular degeneration or muscular dystrophy. This page covers the degree, how MD compares with DO, how the abbreviation differs in other countries, and those other meanings.
At a glance
Stands for
Doctor of MedicineLatin origin
Medicinae Doctor, teacher or doctor of medicineWritten as
MD, M.D., M.D (no final period)Equal degree
DO, Doctor of Osteopathic MedicineOther meanings
Macular degeneration; muscular dystrophy; medical directorWhere you see it
After a physician's name, on signatures, letters, prescriptions
MD medical abbreviation meaning in plain words
An MD is a physician who completed medical school at an allopathic program. Allopathic simply means the mainstream model of medicine that diagnoses and treats disease with medicines, procedures and surgery. The degree alone does not allow someone to practice; in the United States a graduate must also finish residency training in a specialty and earn a state license.
Once licensed, an MD can diagnose, prescribe and perform procedures within their specialty. The letters say nothing about which specialty, so a cardiologist, a psychiatrist and a family physician all write MD after their names.
The road to the letters
- A bachelor's degree with science coursework, usually four years.
- Medical school, usually four years: two mostly in the classroom and two in hospital rotations.
- National licensing exams taken in stages during and after medical school.
- Residency in a chosen specialty, from about three years for family or internal medicine to seven or more for some surgical fields.
- Optional fellowship for further specialization, such as cardiology after internal medicine.
Many physicians then take board certification exams in their specialty and maintain them over their career.
DO vs MD: what is the difference?
| Point | MD | DO |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Doctor of Medicine | Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine |
| Training model | Allopathic | Osteopathic, with added hands on musculoskeletal training |
| License | Full physician license in all states | Full physician license in all states |
| Residency | Same residency programs | Same residency programs |
| Prescribing and surgery | Yes | Yes |
In daily care both work side by side in every specialty. The main training difference is the osteopathic manipulative treatment that DOs learn.
MD outside the United States
In the United Kingdom, India, Australia and many other countries, the first medical degree is usually the MBBS, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. In some of those places MD is a higher degree: in India it is a postgraduate specialty qualification after the MBBS, and in the UK it is often a research doctorate. Canada and the United States award MD as the first degree. So the same two letters can describe different stages of training depending on where the doctor studied.
MD medical abbreviation in the eye clinic and other charts
Not every MD in a chart is a credential. In ophthalmology, MD often means macular degeneration, an eye disease that damages central vision, and AMD or ARMD means the age related form. In neurology and genetics, MD can mean muscular dystrophy, a group of inherited muscle diseases such as DMD. On an organization chart, MD may mean medical director.
Eye clinic note: "Dry MD OU, stable, continue home monitoring grid." Here MD is dry macular degeneration in both eyes (OU), not a degree.
Major depressive disorder is usually written MDD to avoid confusion.
Frequently asked questions
What does MD stand for?
MD stands for Doctor of Medicine, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor. It is the degree held by most physicians in the United States and Canada.
What is the abbreviation for medical doctor?
MD is the usual abbreviation, also written M.D. A physician trained at an osteopathic school writes DO instead, and both are fully licensed physicians.
What does MD mean in an eye exam?
In an eye chart, MD often means macular degeneration, a condition that affects central vision. AMD or ARMD specifically means the age related form.
Is a DO the same as an MD?
Yes in terms of authority: US law grants both degrees identical physician licenses and prescribing rights. DOs receive extra training in hands on musculoskeletal treatment, but they attend the same residencies and work in the same specialties.
Why is it MD and not DM?
The order follows the Latin phrase Medicinae Doctor. Many academic degrees keep their Latin word order, which is why the letters look reversed in English.