How to Check an Arizona Endocrinologist's License and Board Certification

Two separate checks

A license and a board certification answer different questions. The license shows the doctor is allowed to practice medicine in Arizona. Board certification shows they have been certified by a specialty board in a field such as endocrinology. Look for both, because one does not imply the other.

Step 1: Check the Arizona license

Arizona has two licensing boards for physicians. Which one you search depends on the doctor's degree:

Look up the doctor at the Arizona Medical Board if they are an MD, or at the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners if they are a DO. The degree tells you which board to search; it doesn't tell you the specialty. Match the full name, including any middle initial, and confirm the license shows as active.

Step 2: Check board certification in endocrinology

Adult endocrinologists are generally certified in internal medicine and then in the subspecialty of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, both through the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). ABIM's site offers a Verify a Physician tool. Internal medicine certification on its own describes an internist, not an endocrinologist; the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism listing is the one to look for.

Children's endocrinologists are certified through the American Board of Pediatrics. The ABMS Certification Matters site is another public lookup for board certification.

What a fellowship means

Endocrinologists complete specialty training called a fellowship after their general residency. Three Valley programs show what that looks like:

• The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix runs a two-year, ACGME-accredited Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Fellowship, with training at sites including the Phoenix VA and Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix.
• Mayo Clinic runs a two-year endocrinology fellowship in Phoenix/Scottsdale, which accepted its first fellow in July 2022.
• Phoenix Children's runs a pediatric endocrinology and diabetes fellowship.

You can read about each program on the UA College of Medicine – Phoenix, Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's sites. At a teaching hospital you may meet a fellow who is still in training. That is a normal part of academic care, and you can ask who the supervising endocrinologist is.

Where to find a doctor's specialty and training

Hospital and university profile pages often list a doctor's specialty by its board name. On HonorHealth's site, for example, this physician profile lists the specialty as Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism. The UA College of Medicine – Phoenix publishes a faculty page, and Mayo Clinic publishes physician biographies such as this one. We link these only as examples of where to look, not as recommendations. Use profiles as a starting point, then confirm with the board lookups.

Spotting endocrinology-sounding marketing

Titles like diabetes specialist, hormone doctor or thyroid expert are marketing language, not board certifications. Some clinics that use them are led by endocrinologists; others are not. Before you book, especially if your referral says endocrinology, run through this checklist:

• Is the person you'll see a physician (MD or DO) with an active Arizona license?
• Do the ABIM, American Board of Pediatrics or ABMS lookups show certification in endocrinology, not only internal medicine or pediatrics?
• Does the clinic name the specific doctor you'll see, or only a brand?
• Does the doctor's profile list the specialty by its board name, such as Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism?
• Does your insurance treat the visit as an endocrinology specialist visit? Ask your plan if you're unsure.

If something doesn't match

If a name doesn't come up, check the spelling, try the other licensing board, or ask the office for the doctor's full name and degree. If you still can't find the license or certification, raise it with the office or your referring doctor before the appointment. For booking and paperwork, see our referrals and insurance guide and the hospital programs guide.