Which statement accurately describes limited practitioners?

• A. They include veterinarians, optometrists, dentists, and podiatrists.
• B. They are all physicians with full prescriptive authority.
• C. They cannot prescribe any controlled substances.
• D. They must hold a full medical license in every state.

Answer: (A)

Limited practitioners are professionals who practice within a defined field and scope rather than as full-fledged physicians with universal prescriptive authority. The group typically includes veterinarians, optometrists, dentists, and podiatrists, who are licensed to treat within their specialty and to prescribe within the limits of their training and state laws. They’re not identified by holding a nationwide full medical license, and their prescriptive rights vary by state and by profession. So this set of professions fits what the term describes, making that choice the best description. The other options imply things that aren’t accurate about limited practitioners—such as all being physicians with full authority, or lacking any ability to prescribe controlled substances, or needing a full medical license in every state.