Guide for doctors

How to prove you are a doctor when traveling (and on a flight)

What airlines may ask for, why your home licence card is not always enough, and what to carry.

You are 30,000 feet in the air when the call comes: “Is there a doctor on board?” You stand up. The next question is often: “Can you show us something that says you are a doctor?”

This happens more than most people think. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine (2013) found about one medical emergency for every 604 flights, and a physician passenger helped in 48% of them (source). Away from home, the same question can come at a clinic, a hotel, an accident scene or a border check.

What airlines may ask you for

Each airline sets its own rules. Many crews will accept your word in a real emergency, but they “may request professional identification” before you treat a passenger, as the National Association of EMS Physicians notes.

Some airlines go further and keep a list of doctors in advance. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and SWISS run a Doctor on Board program. To join, a doctor uploads a copy of their licence to practise medicine or specialist qualification. Then the crew knows ahead of time who on the flight can help.

Without proof, you may be limited. One traveller described a 2007 flight where a neurologist could only give advice, not treat the patient, because she did not have her licence with her.

Why your home licence card is not always enough

Your licence card is made for your own country. Abroad, it can be hard to use:

It may be in a language the crew or staff cannot read.
People abroad do not know what a real card from your regulator looks like.
There is often no fast way to check it in the moment, and some regulators have no public lookup in English.
Many doctors leave the original at home so they don’t lose it.

What to carry when you travel

A photo ID (passport or national ID).
A copy of your current licence to practise, on paper and on your phone.
An English translation of your licence if it is in another language.
A credential anyone can check in seconds, such as a card with a QR code that opens a live verification page.
If you fly often with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines or SWISS, a Doctor on Board registration.

More than a travel card

Most members use their iDrCard® every day, not only on trips:

Frame your Certificate of Membership on your office or clinic wall.
Show patients and colleagues that a committee has reviewed your credentials.
Add your personal verification link to your website, email signature and LinkedIn.
Keep a public profile page that shows your field, specialty and valid card.

How the iDrCard® helps

The iDrCard® is an international ID card for licensed doctors and health practitioners, issued by World Health Practitioners (WHP). Our committee reviews your licence and documents before we issue a card.

It is in English, with your photo, name, field and card number.
Its QR code opens a live page on idrcard.com that shows whether your card is valid today.
Anyone can also check the card number on our Verify a card page.
You get a digital card on your phone and can order a printed card and certificate.

The iDrCard® does not replace your licence. It is not a licence to practise in any country. It is a fast, trusted way to show that a committee has checked your credentials.

Apply for your iDrCard®

See fees

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to help in an in-flight emergency?

Rules differ by country and airline. In the US, the Aviation Medical Assistance Act of 1998 protects people who help on US flights from damage claims, unless there is gross negligence or wilful misconduct.

Will every airline accept the iDrCard®?

Each airline decides what proof it accepts. The iDrCard® helps because the crew can check it in seconds with the QR code. We recommend you also carry a copy of your licence.

Who can apply?

Licensed doctors and health practitioners in good standing with their governing body. See who can apply.

How long is the card valid?

One year. You can renew it from your account.