There are fundamentally two types of medical degrees that doctors may get. One is the traditional Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. The other is Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO).
The training required for the MD and DO degrees are very similar. According to the Mayo Clinic, the doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) may have some training on manual manipulation, such as spinal adjustments or accupuncture, in addition to the traditional medical training.
Social Security regulations recognize both doctors equally as "acceptable medical sources." 20 CFR 404.1513
The regulation has recently been revised to include licensed physician's assistants as "acceptable medical sources." However, nurse practitioners are not considered acceptable medical sources by Social Security as of this writing.
With many people now getting their medical care from non-traditional providers, it is important to know how seeing someone other than an MD or DO may affect evidence for a potential Social Security disability claim.
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