What must the medical director be?

• A. MD
• B. DO
• C. RN
• D. PA

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that medical directors provide clinical governance and oversight of medical care, which requires a licensed physician who can authorize and supervise medical decisions. Among the options, the designation that signifies a physician with medical licensure is MD. A physician director must have the authority to diagnose and treat patients and set medical standards, which is not within the scope of practice for a nurse (RN) or a physician assistant (PA) who works under physician supervision. A DO is also a licensed physician, but in this context the conventional credential used for the medical director role is MD, hence MD is the best fit.