What do you prefer to be called?

Specialties Doctoral

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For those of you who have a DNP, do you prefer to be referred to as Doctor? Do patients or MDs call you Dr. when speaking to you or about you? I feel that once an individual has a doctorate degree, they can be called a doctor.

Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

Please reference the US medical school that graduates non doctoral prepared physicians. Thanks!

That's fine for CRNAs. Again their title that gives them the ability to practice is CRNA. They can go by DR blah blah and state they are a CRNA. Why is that a problem? Again, I'm suggesting everyone who goes by doctor follow up and clarify their credentials. Like Dr XYZ your cardiologist. Wouldn't that get rid of the so called confusion issue with patients?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Please reference the US medical school that graduates non doctoral prepared physicians. Thanks!

That's fine for CRNAs. Again their title that gives them the ability to practice is CRNA. They can go by DR blah blah and state they are a CRNA. Why is that a problem? Again, I'm suggesting everyone who goes by doctor follow up and clarify their credentials. Like Dr XYZ your cardiologist. Wouldn't that get rid of the so called confusion issue with patients?

I didn't say US Medical school graduates, but since approximately 1/4 of US physicians went to a foreign medical school and not all foreign medical schools graduate with a doctorate (England, Australia etc.) it is easy to figure out not all US physicians are going to have their doctorate.

I never stated someone shouldn't follow up clarifying on their credentials. I think physicians are the worst about doing that very thing whereas APRNS, PA, and other healthcare professionals tend to be very consistent with clarifying who they are.

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

Does the US system though take a foreign medical graduate and determine they completed an equivalent educate and grant them the MD credential? I've never seen a physician without MD or DO after their name.

I think it's time to bust out the drinks a little early and RELAX.

I agree physicians often don't disclose what type of physician they are.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Does the US system though take a foreign medical graduate and determine they completed an equivalent educate and grant them the MD credential? I've never seen a physician without MD or DO after their name.

I think it's time to bust out the drinks a little early and RELAX.

I agree physicians often don't disclose what type of physician they are.

No. They don't grant them another degree. They determine if the training is equivalent.

We aren't really disagreeing. Use the title or not just explain who you are, which you should be doing already. I'm sure you never walked into a room and hi my name X hop up in the stirrups and let's get this pap done....lol.

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

I'm not saying a degree as in the piece of paper. I'm saying exactly what you said. They review their schooling overseas and determine it to be the equivalent of an MD....medical doctor...thus every physician has a title or credential of doctor in the US.

Correct, we aren't disagreeing. Just good discussion is all. While I'm a doctorate holding PA and agree I can use the title, I'm open minded to see there are good points on both side of the discussion about who should use the title of doctor. I don't use the title because I use my legal title that allows me to practice and I've practiced for a decade before having a doctorate.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I'm not saying a degree as in the piece of paper. I'm saying exactly what you said. They review their schooling overseas and determine it to be the equivalent of an MD....medical doctor...thus every physician has a title or credential of doctor in the US.

Correct, we aren't disagreeing. Just good discussion is all. While I'm a doctorate holding PA and agree I can use the title, I'm open minded to see there are good points on both side of the discussion about who should use the title of doctor. I don't use the title because I use my legal title that allows me to practice and I've practiced for a decade before having a doctorate.

No every physician in the US is a physician. The degrees of most physicians in the US will be a DO or MD, but not all.

"To earn the right to practice in the United States, foreign-trained doctors must pass the first two parts of the United States Medical Licensing Exam, be certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Trained Medical Graduates, enter a residency program and pass the third licensing test." Foreign-trained doctors could soon have easier path in MN | Minnesota Public Radio News

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
I'm not saying a degree as in the piece of paper. I'm saying exactly what you said. They review their schooling overseas and determine it to be the equivalent of an MD....medical doctor...thus every physician has a title or credential of doctor in the US.

Correct, we aren't disagreeing. Just good discussion is all. While I'm a doctorate holding PA and agree I can use the title, I'm open minded to see there are good points on both side of the discussion about who should use the title of doctor. I don't use the title because I use my legal title that allows me to practice and I've practiced for a decade before having a doctorate.

While we're are waiting moderator to approve my link. I just want retire from the USAF and go back to just using my first name with patients. The military seems to think your rank is your first name...lol

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

Can you show me a physician without MD or DO after their name? One that is licensed in the US? So you're saying there are physicians that can't go by the doctor title because they don't have a doctorate degree nor MD or DO credential? What do they call themselves? If you say "doctor" then that would imply the title doctor is specific to someone with a certain education and not degree earned.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.
Can you show me a physician without MD or DO after their name? One that is licensed in the US? So you're saying there are physicians that can't go by the doctor title because they don't have a doctorate degree nor MD or DO credential? What do they call themselves? If you say "doctor" then that would imply the title doctor is specific to someone with a certain education and not degree earned.

You really are stuck on this. It is a misnomer to actually call someone with only a Bachelors a Doctor but the title Doctor is synonymous with physicians in this country. I stated that not all physicians in the US have doctorates the rest is your own interpretation.

Practicing medicine in United States with a bachelors degree (MBBS) from India? | College and University Admissions - Quora

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