Key points
- Licenses: the NYS Education Department's Office of the Professions licenses physicians and runs the online license verification.
- Discipline: the NYS Department of Health's OPMC investigates complaints, and the Department offers a public search for disciplinary actions.
- Background: the free NYS Physician Profile was created under Public Health Law §2995 and improved in 2023.
- Certification: the American Board of Ophthalmology's Verify a Physician tool shows certification history.
A license, a disciplinary record and a board certification live in three different places, run by three different organizations. No single website brings them together, so it's worth working through each one. All four checks are available online, and you can run them on any ophthalmologist, whether you found the name through a referral, a hospital website or a friend.
These checks confirm credentials and public records. They can't tell you whether a doctor is the right fit for your condition, and this site can't either. Use the results alongside advice from your own physicians.
Before you start
- The doctor's full name, spelled exactly as it appears on the practice website or your referral.
- A license number, if the office or your referral gave you one. It makes the search exact.
- The practice location, which helps when two doctors have similar names.
- A way to save what you find, such as screenshots or notes with the date you checked.
Step 1: Verify the New York license (NYSED)
In New York, physicians are licensed by the State Education Department (NYSED) through its Office of the Professions. The office's physician page links to its license verification.
The online verification search covers more than 1.5 million licensees in over 50 professions. NYSED also has a second entry point where you can search by name, establishment or license number.
- Open the searchGo to NYSED's online verification page from the Office of the Professions site.
- Search for the doctorUse the full name, or the license number if you have it, to narrow the results.
- Match the recordCheck that the name, profession and location fit the doctor you're researching.
- Note the key fieldsWrite down the license number, original license date and registration status.
| Field | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Name | Confirms you have the right person, especially with common names |
| Profession | Shows which licensed profession the record belongs to |
| License number | A unique identifier you can use to search again or cross-check other records |
| Location | Helps tell apart licensees with similar names |
| Original license date | Shows when the license was first issued in New York |
| Registration status | Shows the registration status NYSED has on file |
If a field in the record isn't clear to you, ask the Office of the Professions what it means rather than guessing.
Step 2: Search for disciplinary actions (OPMC)
In New York, the Department of Health's Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) and the Board for Professional Medical Conduct investigate and rule on complaints against physicians.
To look up a doctor, use the Department of Health's search for disciplinary actions. If the results aren't what you expect, for example no match or several people with the same name, the search help page explains how the search works.
A listed action is a public record. Read the full entry on the Department of Health site rather than a summary from a third-party website, and note the dates. This guide can't interpret individual records. Questions about the process go to OPMC.
OPMC contact details: Riverview Center, 150 Broadway, Suite 355, Albany, NY 12204-2719. Phone: 1-800-663-6114. See the OPMC contact page for current information.
Step 3: Read the NYS Physician Profile
The NYS Physician Profile is a free public online resource with information about individual physicians licensed in New York. It was created in 2000 under Public Health Law §2995 et seq., according to the Department of Health's study report on the Profile.
On August 17, 2023, the Department of Health announced improvements to the Profile. Read a doctor's profile alongside the license and discipline searches. It's another official view of the same physician, and it's reassuring when the details line up across sources.
Step 4: Confirm board certification (ABO)
The American Board of Ophthalmology is the independent nonprofit that certifies ophthalmologists in the United States, and it is a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. A New York license and ABO certification are separate credentials from separate organizations, so check both.
The ABO's Verify a Physician search shows each ophthalmologist's certification history. If you need written verification, the ABO provides it for $50, paid by check to the ABO.
Starting from scratch? The ABO website also has a Find a Board-Certified Ophthalmologist tool. You can use it to build a shortlist, then run each name through steps 1 to 3.
The four checks at a glance
| Check | Run by | What you learn |
|---|---|---|
| License verification | NYSED Office of the Professions | License number, original license date, registration status |
| Disciplinary actions | NYS Department of Health (OPMC) | Whether public disciplinary actions are listed |
| NYS Physician Profile | NYS Department of Health | Public profile information on NY-licensed physicians |
| Verify a Physician | American Board of Ophthalmology | Board certification history |
What these checks can't tell you
Credentials are a floor, not the whole picture. Once they check out, you'll still want answers to practical questions:
- Whether the office accepts your specific insurance plan. Our insurance and referrals guide covers what to ask.
- Whether you need a referral on file before the first visit.
- Whether the doctor focuses on the kind of care you've been referred for. Ask the office, and ask the physician who referred you.
- Which location you'll be seen at. Some departments have more than one office; see our guide to NYC eye centers.
Frequently asked questions
Is board certification the same as a medical license?
No. In New York, physicians are licensed by the State Education Department's Office of the Professions. Board certification in ophthalmology comes from the American Board of Ophthalmology. They're separate credentials, so check both.
Where can I see whether a New York doctor has been disciplined?
Use the NYS Department of Health's search for disciplinary actions. OPMC and the Board for Professional Medical Conduct investigate and rule on complaints against physicians.
How do I get written proof that an ophthalmologist is board certified?
The ABO provides written verification for $50, paid by check to the ABO. Its online Verify a Physician search shows certification history.
Is the NYS Physician Profile free?
Yes. It's a free public online resource about individual physicians licensed in New York, created in 2000 under Public Health Law §2995 et seq.
Who do I contact about a complaint against a physician?
OPMC, at Riverview Center, 150 Broadway, Suite 355, Albany, NY 12204-2719, or by phone at 1-800-663-6114. Please don't send health details to this website; we're an independent guide and can't act on them.
Sources
- Professional medical conduct publication — NYS Department of Health
- Search for Physician Disciplinary Actions — NYS Department of Health
- Search Help — NYS Department of Health
- Contact OPMC — NYS Department of Health
- NYS Physician Profile Study Report — NYS Department of Health
- Physician Profile improvements, August 17, 2023 — NYS Department of Health
- American Board of Ophthalmology member board profile — American Board of Medical Specialties