Medical licenses allow their holders to practice various specialties of medicine within the state’s borders.
Physicians or physician assistants in Missouri acquire their license by finishing medical school and taking an exam to ensure their knowledge and skills meet the standards set by the Missouri Medical Board.
There are various possible scenarios where you or a government department like the Missouri State Board might want to look up a physician’s license.
This guide will explain the “why” and “how” of the Missouri medical license lookup.
Key Takeaways
- Medical license lookup helps prevent fraud, ensuring valid credentials.
- License verification is required for insurance and regulatory compliance purposes.
- Public can access license info, fostering trust in healthcare providers.
- Missouri’s license lookup is available online via Division of Professional Registration.
Table of Contents
Why Is Medical License Lookup Important?
There are various causes for looking up a medical licensure status, which include:
Fraud Prevention
Fake licenses are an example of such occasions. A 2023 article by the New York Times suggests that over 7,600 fake diplomas were sold to nurses across the U.S.
Forbes further compliments that piece of information. They also mention that the fraudulent diplomas industry has grown to $7.6 billion a year!
It’s a scary thought that you or someone you love could be in the ICU with a couple of nurses who cheated their way through the system.
Looking up licenses provides a swift and immediate solution to this issue.
Insurance Purposes
Some insurance companies require a verification of the medical provider’s license before they can go through with the insurance process.
Without license verification, you won’t be eligible for reimbursement from some insurance companies. In the health industry, insurance is a must.
Public Trust
The public is allowed to look up the medical licenses of physicians. This transparency maintains trust between patients and their physicians.
Regulatory Compliance
Medical boards and other governing bodies require healthcare professionals to maintain their licenses through continuing education and ethical practice.
A medical license lookup ensures compliance with licensing process regulations and can reveal any disciplinary actions, suspensions, or restrictions.
Related: How to Get Your Medical License
How to Lookup a Medical License in MO
Here’s how to look up a physician’s medical license in easy steps:
Step 1: Access the Search Platform
Go to the Missouri Division of Professional Registration and click on “license search.” It’s the third option from the right on top of the page.
Clicking on that will take you to another page where you need to scroll down to the “Licensee Search” area.
Choose between “Active Licensee Search” or “Nonactive Licensee Search” and proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Enter the Required Information
On the new page, scroll down until you find the search options near the bottom of the page.
From there, choose the:
- County name: This allows you to filter your search by the county where the medical provider works
- Profession name: The search includes all regular and medical professions available in Missouri. You need to pick the specialty of the medical provider you’re looking for.
- Search criteria: This one provides options to further refine your search.
Earlier we mentioned that anyone can look up medical licenses. Normally, you would probably use medical license numbers to look them up.
It’s one of the possible search criteria you can use, but since it’s unlikely that you may have a physician’s exact license number, you can search for them using their name or DBA name.
DBA stands for “doing business as,” which allows people to work under a different name than their given ones.
Note: If you have the license number, it needs to be exact down to the last digit. That’s not the case for the names, as you can partially search for them. For example, if a doctor’s name is Nate River, you can search for their name by typing “iver.”
Related: How to Get Licensed With a Maine Medical Board
Closing Thoughts
Looking up a medical license in MO is simple. Go to the division of professional registration and enter the name or the license numbers of the medical professionals you want to look up.
If you want to learn more about medical licenses, like the licensing requirements, necessary documents, and the renewal process in various states, check our guides at Physicians Thrive.
In addition to having all the information you need to thrive as a physician, we can provide you with a complete road map of what you need to do to avoid falling into any financial pitfalls.
Contact us to get started, and allow us to help you thrive.
Also read: How to Get a Maryland Medical License
