I am wondering what everyone thinks about Physician Assistants and Nurses with Doctorate degrees being called "Doctor"?
I ask because there have been several times in the last few years that I have had family members be seen by someone that introduces themselves as "Dr. So&So", when they are in fact a PA, NP or a RN with a doctorate. While I very much respect NP's and nurses that have earned their doctorate degree, I feel that it can cause confusion with the patients. As for PA's, the PA's that I've seen have a Master's degree in Physician Assistant studies yet some are called Dr. I'm sure that there are PA's out there that have doctorates in some field but not too many that I have seen.
So, do you feel that it can cause a misunderstanding as to who is a medical doctor and who is not? I'm not trying to start a war here, just want a rational as to why it is a good idea in a clinical setting.