Several types of licensed healthcare professionals can perform a physical exam, not just doctors. Physicians (MDs and DOs), nurse practitioners, and physician assistants are all qualified to conduct routine physicals in every U.S. state. The right provider for you depends on the type of physical you need, whether it’s an annual wellness check, a sports clearance, or a workplace-mandated exam.
Primary Care Providers
The most common professionals performing physical exams are primary care providers. This group includes three main types: medical doctors (MDs), doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs), and nurse practitioners (NPs). Physician assistants (PAs) also perform physicals regularly in primary care offices. All four can order lab work, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, and refer you to a specialist if something needs a closer look.
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants complete graduate-level clinical training that covers the same physical exam techniques physicians learn. In most states, NPs can practice independently without physician oversight, while PAs typically work under a collaborative agreement with a physician. From a patient’s perspective, the exam itself looks and feels the same regardless of which provider type performs it. You’ll go through the standard checks: blood pressure, heart and lung sounds, reflexes, abdomen, ears, eyes, and a review of your medical history.
Sports and School Physicals
Pre-participation physicals for student athletes follow state-specific rules about who can sign off on them. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that, depending on state law, a sports physical can be conducted by an MD, DO, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant with appropriate clinical training. The provider evaluates medical eligibility across a range of health issues, from heart conditions to joint stability, before clearing the athlete to compete.
Some states accept a broader list of providers for sports physicals, while others are more restrictive. Your school’s athletic department or state high school athletic association will have a list of accepted provider types. Many families use their child’s regular pediatrician, but walk-in clinics and urgent care centers also offer sports physicals, typically staffed by the same categories of providers.
DOT and Commercial Driver Physicals
If you need a physical to drive a commercial vehicle, the rules are federal and very specific. A Department of Transportation physical must be performed by a provider listed on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Eligible providers include MDs, DOs, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, and even doctors of chiropractic. However, simply holding one of those licenses isn’t enough. The examiner must complete FMCSA-specific training and pass a certification test before being added to the registry. You can search the registry online to find a certified examiner near you.
Urgent Care and Retail Clinics
Walk-in clinics at pharmacies and urgent care centers are staffed by board-certified MDs, DOs, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. These locations commonly offer basic physicals, including school, sports, and employment physicals. They’re a practical option when you can’t get a timely appointment with your regular provider, though the tradeoff is that the clinician won’t have your long-term medical history on file.
Workplace and Occupational Physicals
Many jobs require a physical before you start or at regular intervals, especially in industries like construction, law enforcement, and firefighting. OSHA does not set specific requirements for which provider type must perform these exams. Instead, employers typically contract with occupational health clinics staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants trained in workplace health assessments. These physicals often include job-specific tests like hearing screenings, lung function tests, or lifting capacity evaluations that go beyond a standard checkup.
Insurance Physicals
Life and health insurance companies sometimes require a physical before issuing a policy, and these exams are handled differently than a medical office visit. Insurance companies often send a certified paramedical examiner to your home or workplace. These examiners are trained healthcare professionals, though not necessarily doctors or nurse practitioners. They collect vital signs, draw blood, obtain urine samples, and record your medical history. The results go directly to the insurance underwriter for review. A paramedical examiner isn’t diagnosing you or providing medical advice. They’re gathering data so the insurance company can assess risk.
Specialists and Targeted Exams
Not every physical exam is a head-to-toe wellness check. Specialists perform focused physical exams within their area of expertise. A cardiologist examines your heart and cardiovascular system. A dermatologist does full-body skin checks. An orthopedic surgeon evaluates joints, bones, and range of motion. These visits typically happen through a referral from your primary care provider, who identifies the need for more specialized diagnostic work or treatment.
Specialists have the training to conduct exams and procedures that fall outside the routine scope of primary care. If your primary care provider hears an unusual heart sound during your annual physical, for instance, they’ll refer you to a cardiologist for a more detailed cardiovascular exam and testing.
Medical Students and Residents
At teaching hospitals and academic medical centers, medical students and residents in training may participate in your physical exam. They don’t practice unsupervised. Students must be directly observed by an attending physician or senior resident when performing any clinical service that could affect patient safety. Even with indirect supervision, where the attending physician is elsewhere in the building but immediately available, the supervising doctor is required to evaluate you in person, confirm the student’s findings, and approve the care plan. You always have the right to ask who is examining you and what their level of training is.
Telehealth Physicals
Virtual visits have expanded access to many types of care, but physical exams over telehealth have real limitations. A provider can observe your gait, check your skin, and walk you through self-assessments using a video connection, but they can’t listen to your heart or palpate your abdomen remotely. Telehealth providers must be licensed in the state where you’re located, with a few exceptions. Some states offer reciprocity for providers licensed in bordering states, and others allow limited out-of-state telemedicine under specific conditions.
For physicals that require hands-on evaluation, like a DOT exam or a sports clearance, telehealth alone won’t satisfy the requirement. Some employers and schools accept telehealth-based physicals for lower-stakes screenings, but you should confirm with the requesting organization before booking a virtual appointment.