MDs dont own the physician title

Specialties Doctoral

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I think there is a lot of confusion on this board about titles. MDs do NOT own the physician title.

In fact, it has been legal for years for a chiropractor to call himself a "chiropractic physician"

Pharmacists, DPTs, and anybody else with a doctoral degree can also use the "physician" title.

In 20 years DNPs will be able to introduce themselves as a "nurse-physician" and it will be totally normal and acceptable.

*Huge Sigh*

This is a frustrating topic--really from all sides. At the end of the day, why worry so much about it if you are doing what you love? That should be the main thing people focus on IMHO.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Because we need to promote and fight for our profession. If we just focus on "what we love" and ignore what needs to change, our profession will go nowhere.

*Huge Sigh*

This is a frustrating topic--really from all sides. At the end of the day, why worry so much about it if you are doing what you love? That should be the main thing people focus on IMHO.

Specializes in Adult Health.

I'm working on my DNP. I'm an Adult Nurse Practitioner. I'm also Board Certified in Adult Health. When I finally get the DNP, I will introduce myself as "Dr. ANP, a Nurse Practitioner specializing in adult health. I am your healthcare provider. Please call me Isabel." I do not think it is confusing to patients as long as we a clear about who we are and what our professional license is. I think it is demeaning to patients and the general public to assume that they won't ever be able to understand the differences between NP and MD, etc.

I object to the term mid-level provider. I do not provide mid-level care. In NYS we still must have a collaborating physician, but hopefully that will change soon. Regardless, I provide high quality, holistic healthcare.

First of all, while there are definitely situations in which a chiropractor can help a patient, there are also cases in which it can be very detrimental. For example, I have chiari I malformations, and when I was diagnosed, I was experiencing horrible back/neck/shoulder/head pains. I asked my neurologist for a referral to a chiropracter because I have friends who go for every one of these issues. My doctor told me that because of the lack of actual MEDICAL training that DCs have, it is actually dangerous for a chiari patient to go to one. They have no way of testing ICP, and can actually cause further herniation of the cerebral tonsils as well as complications existing issues.

I was told to rather go to a DPT who has training in such issues.

I do want to point out that a DPM can prescribed medication and do surgery within their specialty just like a OB/GYN can do surgery (c-section) and prescribed meds in his/her field. You would not ask a OB/GYN to treat your essential HTN.

Every HCP has their specialty.

Oh, and a DDS or a DMD can also prescribed meds and do surgery if they've been trained.

I think it's funny you mentioned the OB/Gyn. I just quit working at a hospital that had a OB/Gyn staffing the ER as a primary attending, lol. Yep, he saw everything that came in the door all by himself.

I think there is a lot of confusion on this board about titles. MDs do NOT own the physician title.

In fact, it has been legal for years for a chiropractor to call himself a "chiropractic physician"

Pharmacists, DPTs, and anybody else with a doctoral degree can also use the "physician" title.

In 20 years DNPs will be able to introduce themselves as a "nurse-physician" and it will be totally normal and acceptable.

They may not own it, but don't think for a minute that you can't go to prison here for passing yourself off as a physician when you're actually a pharmacist, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, veterinarian, etc.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Yep, Platon20 is either confused or trolling.

They may not own it, but don't think for a minute that you can't go to prison here for passing yourself off as a physician when you're actually a pharmacist, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, veterinarian, etc.

Go to prison? Yeah right LOL

I know an NP in New Mexico where they have 100% independent practice and her title is listed as PHYSICIAN, and she lets people know that she is a PHYSICIAN. She runs her own clinic.

Go to prison? Yeah right LOL

I know an NP in New Mexico where they have 100% independent practice and her title is listed as PHYSICIAN, and she lets people know that she is a PHYSICIAN. She runs her own clinic.

Sounds like she's asking for a lawsuit.

Edited.

Go to prison? Yeah right LOL

I know an NP in New Mexico where they have 100% independent practice and her title is listed as PHYSICIAN, and she lets people know that she is a PHYSICIAN. She runs her own clinic.

I practice as an NP in New Mexico, while we do have completely independent practice in our state, we do not use the title of "physician." There are no restrictions in our state on the use of the title "doctor" in clinical settings, if you have earned a doctorate. While the individual that you are aware of may own her own clinic (this is allowed in NM), I am hopeful that she does not use the title of "physician," if she does, she is placing herself at high risk of discipline as this is a gross misrepresentation of her licensure. I am not aware of any nurse practitioners in New Mexico who represent themselves as a physician of any type. As a collective group of advance practice nurses in New Mexico, we are typically proud of the autonomous practice that we have in our state and are further happy to identify ourselves as nurse practitioners because we are quite well received by our patients.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Guys,

Don't feed the troll.

Go to prison? Yeah right LOL

I know an NP in New Mexico where they have 100% independent practice and her title is listed as PHYSICIAN, and she lets people know that she is a PHYSICIAN. She runs her own clinic.

Ok. So you've accounted for New Mexico. What about the other 49 states?

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