License Type

The major types of Alabama medical licenses are

• MD: A fully licensed physician from an allopathic medical school.
• DO: A fully licensed physician from an osteopathic medical school.
• L: A physician (typically a resident) with a limited license.
• RSV: A physician who is now a retired senior volunteer
• SP: Special purpose license

Most physicians in Alabama are allopathic physicians. Less that 10 percent of the primary care workforce are osteopathic physicians and the percentage of RSV and SP physicians is negligible. The percentage of rural osteopathic physicians is higher than for urban physicians, however the difference is small, and rural osteopathic physicians account for only 10 percent of the rural primary care physicians workforce.