MDs dont own the physician title

[platon20]

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.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I think platoon has mixed up the words physician and doctor. They aren't synonymous but he probably thought they were, and got confused, that's all. Even I read his OP in a hurry and misunderstood it, mentally substituting "doctor" in my head, lol.

I do not believe for a second that there is a NP on this earth that calls themselves a physician. That's patently ridiculous. He or she may as well call themselves the Surgeon General or Secretary of Health and Human Services while they are at it, because if they want to be a career fabulist they may as well may make it a job title worth lying about!

Because calling yourself doctor if you are doctorally prepared is fine, but calling yourself a physician if you are not, is a crime. And it is also colossally stupid since a NP gains nothing from it but professional sanctions, fines, abject humiliation -especially in NM where he/she has full independent practice anyway. What would be the point? No, it simply doesn't make any sense. Therefore, the most logical deduction is that platoon is merely mistaken.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I think platoon has mixed up the words physician and doctor. They aren't synonymous but he probably thought they were, and got confused, that's all. Even I read his OP in a hurry and misunderstood it, mentally substituting "doctor" in my head, lol.

I do not believe for a second that there is a NP on this earth that calls themselves a physician. That's patently ridiculous. He or she may as well call themselves the Surgeon General or Secretary of Health and Human Services while they are at it, because if they want to be a career fabulist they may as well may make it a job title worth lying about!

Because calling yourself doctor if you are doctorally prepared is fine, but calling yourself a physician if you are not, is a crime. And it is also colossally stupid since a NP gains nothing from it but professional sanctions, fines, abject humiliation -especially in NM where he/she has full independent practice anyway. What would be the point? No, it simply doesn't make any sense. Therefore, the most logical deduction is that platoon is merely mistaken.

*** It's nice that you give them the benifit of the doubt but please click on the link and scroll to post #25.

https://allnurses.com/doctor-nursing-practice/mds-dont-own-842676-page3.html

[TX RN]

I'm the original poster, and NO I'm not talking about the doctor title, I'm talking about the PHYSICIAN title. It is already obvious that DNPs own the "doctor" title.

What you guys didnt know is that LOTS of people use the "physician" title, not just medical physicians. And that means that DNPs can use it as well. In fact, California has already changed their policy so that doctoral-educated nurses are classified as "physicians" in terms of nomenclature. In New York, Dr Mundinger at Columbia is organizing an effort to require New York State to add DNps to the designated list of "physicians" including MDs, DOs, physical therapists, optometrists, chiropractors, and audiologists.

ANYBODY who has a doctorate degree and works in healthcare, including DNPs, will be able to use the PHYSICIAN title.

Come on guys....."LOTS of people" are doing it so it must be true. LOL

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Come on guys....."LOTS of people" are doing it so it must be true. LOL

Lots of medical assistants call themselves nurses, too....