In the late 1700's, people used to deal with their medical problems from their houses. Before the American Medical Association, housewives also played the role of doctor as they tended to their sick family members using home remedies. In the case of a medical emergency, a family would call a traveling "doctor" to come to their house. A doctor got his title by knowing a little bit of science and traveling around experiencing new cases. Since this was before medical schools and degrees, doctors basically gave themselves their own PhD's and MD's. 

A doctor tending to a child with small box in the living room of a house 
www.personal.psu.edu

Toward the end of the 1700's the first medical school was established in Pennsylvania. The school helped doctors become more experienced and learn more about how to treat patients. This led to more experienced doctors opening up practices and charging people to see them. The popularity of medical practice led to awareness of germs and disease. There was always a suspicion of germs, but it wasn't until the 1860's that Louis Pasteur proved the Germ Theory.  Medicine took a turn when diseases like cholera, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and yellow fever occurred and the government became concerned.

The first Medical School: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine http://www.pennmedicine.org/neurosurgery/about-us/history.html

I can't imagine living in a time period where doctors weren't certified. Today, people will go to doctors for a diagnosis and some will even go to multiple doctors for a second or third opinion. Back before the AMA, medical schools, and PhDs people fully trusted the doctor that showed up on their doorstep not knowing if they were capable of saving the patient or not. The progression of Medical Schools and the growing awareness of disease became the turning point in the profession of medicine. 

License to practice medicine from the 1800s 
http://www.chirotexas.org/history

In 1847, the American Medical Association was established. To put this on a timeline, in 1843 The Oregon Trail took place, and in 1848 the California Gold Rush started. The AMA forced people to have a specific education in medicine and earn a degree to become a doctor. Because of the AMA, medicine has been able to evolve over the years. Today, doctors are not only certified, they also have specialities and study to become a specific doctor. After medical school, doctors go through residency so they have extra practice and guidance before practicing on their own. This is much different than the original approach of doctors certifying themselves.

This is the American Medical Association's Logo

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama

The American Medical Association was a turning point in the profession of medicine. It was able to distinguish itself from other amateur "doctors" by publicizing the fact that doctors needed degrees and practice to practice medicine. The public began to understand that a doctor should be certified to be able to treat and operate on a patient which is why private practices became so popular. The rise of doctors offices also played a role in the progression of medicine and the profession itself. By creating these businesses the role of a uncertified house doctor disappeared.  

This is an example of a private practice today. 
http://www.mysanbernardinodentist.com

In conclusion, doctors and the practice of medicine have progressed significantly from the 1800's to present day. Many factors such as the American Medical Association, medical schools, and medical degrees have helped with this progression. This was a really cool topic to study and it is neat to see how medicine has evolved. Aside from the profession itself, technology has also made a major improvement, especially hospitals and all they provide. It is amazing to see how developed the medical world has become. 

Works Cited

"American Medical Association." American Medical Association.   American Medical Association, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016. file://localhost/<http/::www.ama-assn.org:ama>.

"Textiles in the Healthcare System." (n.d.): n. pag. The Evolution of  the U.S. Healthcare System. Web. http://www.sciencescribe.net/articles/The_Evolution_of_the_U.S._Healthcare_System.pdf

“The American Medical Association”. “The American Medical Association”. The British Medical  Journal 2.1339 (1886): 425–425. Web…

Science Museum. Brought to Life: Exploring the History of  Medicine." Germ Theory. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2016. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/broughttolife/techniques/germtheory