"Who exactly will be treating me, and what are their credentials?"
You want names and licences: an MD, DO, or a licensed clinician such as a board certified acupuncture physician. Vague answers about a "wellness team" mean nobody is accountable.
Choosing aclinic
How to judge a functional medicine doctor before you hand over a credit card.
This field has excellent clinicians and expensive nonsense sitting side by side, and the websites look identical. Here is the checklist we would use ourselves.
Treated by Dr. Christopher Cheshire, MS, AP, LAc, DOM, NCCAOM board certified, 22 years in The Villages. Medical oversight by Dr. Thomas Phipps, MD. Meet the providers
In short: What to look for in a functional medicine doctor near you: credentials, oversight, testing practices and red flags. This field has excellent clinicians and expensive nonsense sitting side by side, and the websites look identical. Here is the checklist we would use ourselves.
6Questions worth asking
4Red flags to walk away from
1Clinic, The Villages FL
Free20 minute consultation
The problem
Anyone can print the words on a sign.
"Functional medicine" is not a protected term, not a board specialty in the way cardiology is, and not a guarantee of anything. The same phrase covers physicians with serious training and businesses whose actual product is a monthly supplement subscription.
The good news is that the difference is visible if you know what to ask, and most of it can be established in a single phone call before you ever book.
We are one of the clinics you might be comparing, in The Villages, Florida. We have an obvious interest here, so treat the checklist below as something to use on us too. If a clinic gets defensive about these questions, that is your answer.
Ask these
Six questions that separate clinics fast.
"Is there physician oversight for anything injectable?"
Peptides, NAD+, and any injection should sit under an MD or DO. If the answer is unclear, do not do injectables there.
"What testing do you require, and why that test?"
A specific test with a specific reason is good practice. A mandatory thousand-dollar panel for every new patient, regardless of complaint, is a business model.
"How long is the plan, and how will we measure progress?"
Good clinics can tell you the length and the checkpoints. Open-ended protocols with no endpoint are the single most common way patients get burned.
"What happens if it does not work?"
The right answer includes a checkpoint and a willingness to stop. If there is no scenario in which treatment ends, treatment will not end.
"What do you not treat?"
Every honest clinic has a list. Ours includes complex hormone replacement and anything needing an endocrinologist. A clinic that treats everything treats nothing well.
Red flags
Walk away when you see these.
- Mandatory large lab panels before any conversation
- Claims to cure, reverse, or detoxify anything
- No named, licensed clinician on the website
- No physician oversight for injectable therapies
- Pressure to stop medication prescribed elsewhere
- Reviews that only exist on the clinic's own site
Getting here
If you are searching in Central Florida.
Our practice is at 910 Old Camp Road, Suite 162, in The Villages, and we see patients from Leesburg, Ocala, Lady Lake, Wildwood, Summerfield, Belleview, and Oxford. Dr. Christopher Cheshire, MS, AP, LAc, DOM, leads the integrative side; Dr. Thomas Phipps, MD, provides medical oversight.
The first appointment is a free twenty minute consultation, and part of what you should use it for is running the checklist above on us.
910 Old Camp Road, Suite 162, The Villages, FL 32162
Mon–Thu 7 AM–3 PM · Fri 7 AM–12 PM · Directions
FAQ
Common questions.
Is functional medicine legitimate?
The tools range from well-supported to speculative. Judge the clinician and the specific treatment rather than the label, and ask what evidence sits behind whatever they are proposing for you.
Should a functional medicine doctor be an MD?
Not necessarily, but someone licensed and accountable must be responsible for your care, and anything injectable should have physician oversight.
Why is it rarely covered by insurance?
Most functional medicine consultations and the associated therapies sit outside standard insurance coverage.
Can I combine it with my regular doctor?
You should. A clinic that discourages you from staying with your primary care physician is a clinic to leave.
What does your clinic actually offer?
Functional and integrative care focused on energy, recovery, inflammation, and sleep, using NAD+ therapy, peptide therapy, acupuncture, and targeted supplementation. Details on our functional medicine page.
Patient Reviews
What patients say on Google.
Dr. Cheshire is rated 4.6 of 5 on Healthgrades from 11 patient ratings as of October 2026 (Healthgrades profile). The quotes above are from Google.
Further reading: NIH NCCIH: complementary, alternative or integrative health, what is in a name ยท MedlinePlus: fatigue.
Start Here
Use the checklist. Then call whoever passes.
If that happens to be us, the first twenty minutes are free and you are welcome to spend them interrogating the list above.