why don't we called doctors ?

[PTRussell]

Kristiano
How farcical! A Physio with a masters is still a Physio. They are not entitled to call themselves a Dr! If they were in Australia and did that they would be hauled before the Physio Board before they could shake their patient's hand for mis-representation. My condolences that you work in such a crappy environment.

[yelufem]

Your experience about your people's knowledge of physio is not unusual.Even in the very developed society people still need to be educated on what physio is all about.They tend to believe that we are all doctors or nurses.
Be ready to change the status quo.Always insist that doctors refer patient appropriately not verbally.and discourage referrals that dictate to u what to do.Patients must be informed that physio is not extension of Drs prescription but experts/clinician that are required to fix their problems.
Your physio body must not relent in educating the masses about physio and what it can offer.Be ready to pay the prize for the next generation of physios.
By the way,i guess u posted from Pakistan.am i right? Yelufem.

[DrACL02]

Physiotherapists are not doctors

[PTRussell]

What rubbish! If you want the same shonky reputation as chiros, then push to be called a doctor.

Physios have a good and recognized reputation with the legitimate medical fraternity (medical doctors). Calling ourselves Dr's would likely alienate ourselves.

Unlike thelose charlatan chiros, we are well respected when we work in hospitals. The only way (in Australia at least) a Dr Chiro can get visiting rights is if they are seeing a friend or family member - seeking clinical privileges would be laughable.

As others have pointed out, you want to be called a Dr? Do a PhD!! It's 3+ years of hard work (on top of the 4 you did as an undergrad). Heck, you don't even have to do it in Physio! Go waste your yime with a PhD in arts to allow youself to become a "doctor". BUT in my opinion, you STILL shouldn't call yourself a Dr. I feel I have the right to say this as I am a Physio and have a PhD in physio. I never use the title. It is misleading when I work with real medical Dr's. I do not tell other staff or patients I have a PhD. In fact, a number of years ago, the Physio Registration Board rightly sent a member advising physios who work in hospitals NOT to use the title to avoid confusion. I feel it it acceptable to use the title if you work in an academic setting, where the title has meaning. Anywhere else (including on your credit card or when booking airline tickets, for a Physio - or anyone else with a PhD for that matter - surely it's a matter of ego to use the title?).

Be happy that you're a Physio - for some reason, a lot of people want to be one and many can't. Patients and medical doctors both acknowledge our legitimacy in the medical profession without us having to claim the title of doctor.

[cperryco]

There's many types of doctors, they don't all perform surgeries or prescribe medicine!

[Canuck Physio]

On one hand a recent JAMA study revealed that medical treatment is the leading cause of mortality in North America.

On the other hand, long term degenerative diseases are influencing poor quality of life,

and on the other hand, we still stick to Toxic therapies to overcome our health problems???

Time to overhaul the entire system, and standardize the level of education required for Physios.

[Physio4home]

Because we are NOT doctors.
Quite happy being a PHYSIOTHERAPIST thank you very much - worked hard to get here and am proud of my title!
Besides, look at the likes of 'Dr' Gillian McKieth (you are what you eat) - turns out she wasn't a doctor at all. By referring to us as physio's or specifically chartered physio's there can be no doubt as to our qualifications!

[junior_physiotherapist]

[COLOR="DeepSkyBlue"]Hallo All,

Intersting discussion,

Well,In Arabic country some regulations there as physiotherapy should study 4 years, then he can called junior physiotherapist,

So far,

After 5 years of experince get senior physiotherapist![/COLOR]

[kkpatil84]

hello very one, in view of the above discussion i would like to say. i am proud to call myself as physiotherapist and not doctor, It doest not matter whether we call over self Dr, or physio, its about the work or profession, its more respectable and respect comes from that, the patient them-self well realise dat after the service we provide,

[apocalypse]

A doctor is not a job title it describes a qualification.

A student coming out of Medicine School and entering into an internship is an intern! S/he has three degrees, BAO, BCh and MB ie Obs and Gyne, Surgery and Medicine. As such, an intern is nothing (poor choice of words, I do apologise) but spends the year training in both medicine or surgery (mainly) afterwhich they attempt to become part of a scheme (SHO)

The scheme is either in Medicine or Surgery, therefore, they now become a Physician or Surgeon (NOT a doctor). (there is other titles like GP that are separate from physician and anaesthetist)

So if you have studied a PhD, then you are entitled to be called 'Doctor' but only by your peers. Whereas, in Medicine/Surgery, people have afforded Medics/Surgeons so much respect over the years they have been called Doctor.

To further highlight my point, a surgeon is technically known as Mr. (dating back to Surgeons and Barbers Guild in the 1700 - 1800's).

Call yourself what you want as long as you have the qualifications

[umerphysio]

hi,
i think its not important to be called doctor. we are putting people into there normal life.... we are making people pain free without any of medication...... its my personal experience that many patients refer to me by a doctor , surgeon or physician but when they get treatment with me and after some time they get improve they forget that doctor who referred him for physio..... and they give me very much respect.... they refers more patients to me.... and its enough for me..... i proud to be a physiotherapist and to be call a physiotherapist.... i think what we doing that can not be done by any DOCTOR......
Thanks

[sam2hot]

umer thanks a lot.i accpet ur word,which is very much true&cant deny to it

[sam2hot]

ur very much true my friend,but is more important is that people should get much aware of medical fields.people should have atleast a knowledge which profession treat which condition.i agree "physio" treat medical and non-medical condition.rest depend on qualification and knowledge

[yelufem]

Hi everybody.For me the subject matter is more complex than what some of us are saying.Gcoe has once again delivered the reality on the ground as far as this game is concern.Many physio that have contributed only wrote what their society has made them to believe and not what they want for the profession.
Nations across the globe believe Doctor title is for those individuals and profession that has acquired enormous body of knowledge,and deserve honor and repect.
Healthcare delivery in modern world supposed and it is interdisplinary in nature for consistency and effeciency but professionals that go by 'doctor' title tend to steal in the eye of the public the collective reward and incentives.The public still think and have unwritten impression that doctor of any 'cheat' in healthcare chain are more knowledgeable,more informed about their condition even if the doctor know next to nothing about the condition.
I believe physio has come of age and contries training docrorate in physio are free to go by the title.This is the way the profession is going. There are variation in Peoples attitude and values across the globe.What make sme sense in europe might be unthinkable in africa or other part of the world.So physio face diverse chalenges across nations of the world and individual physio bodies handle those problems the way they deem best.yelufem

[gcoe]

The issue is thick historical quagmire. Why do physicians call themselves doctors when they aren't? The term doctor in this case implies that you are dealing with a physician. It has been so abused by fringe professions (osteopaths and chiropractors calling themselves doctors, often after undertaking qualifications of minuscule quality and length of education).

The most legitimate use is for a person who has completed a PhD, a clinical doctorate or some other doctoral degree. Personally I think only in this case should you be referred to as "Dr". With the advent of the Clinical Doctorate in physical therapy in the US, and now being taken up countries such as Austalia some of us will be entitled to call ourselves "Dr"

However The term is really more a term of power and status. This is why medical clinicians would be loath to give up the term and why some alternative health professions traditionally adopt the term.

For that very reason I think the term should be restricted to those who have a doctorate. Otherwise it is just a pompous posturing to assign power and status to us. Although the road to better recognition is long and hard I think we would do better to gain that recognition by our competence, and earning respect in society by what we do best: physiotherapy

[pdoan01]

The most legitimate use is for a person who has completed a PhD, a clinical doctorate or some other doctoral degree. Personally I think only in this case should you be referred to as "Dr". With the advent of the Clinical Doctorate in physical therapy in the US, and now being taken up countries such as Austalia some of us will be entitled to call ourselves "Dr"

Wrong

the clinical doctorate does not give you the title doctor, Uni of Melb has stated graduates will not be getting the title doctor as they are not entitled to it

[yelufem]

When has it become the duty of the universities to determine who bears what.Universities don't confer titles, they confer degrees. Yelufem.

[pdoan01]

When has it become the duty of the universities to determine who bears what.Universities don't confer titles, they confer degrees. Yelufem.

Its not the universities duty its the government's. Physios may not use the title as we are not entitled to it. Anything else and we are just trying to become one of the eilte mob ie doctors, dentists, podiatrists

[foss99]

Its not a question of standards, i think it helps the public understand the differences. If we were all called doctors everyone would get confused!

[gcoe]

Maybe we are moving into an era where medical practitioners are called medical practitioners, physicians or surgeons rather than Drs. As we have graduates with DPTs and more physios with PhDs it would be less confusing.

[akamah]

as Fyzzio said why would you even want to be called " Doctor" ??? . we are physiotherapists we use different techniques for treatment may be , in my country, we need a prescription from doc first but that for patient safety . and as nan cy8702 said we would better inform people who is PT .

[gcoe]

Personally I don't like the term and would prefer it not to be used by physios. If/when I get my PhD I doubt I will want to be called "Dr" as I don't like status markers. However I wish medical practitioners should drop it as well - but teat won't be happening in the near future either.

Regardless of what I or any of us would like it will be used by physios who have completed doctorates in physiotherapy. It will be used by them as a marketing ploy to differentiate a superior level of training (whether or not that superiority is warranted) and likewise employers may seek doctorate employees in preference to others, especially for leadership positions.

So what I wonder is how as a profession we should handle this. We have been through this before. When I graduated I got a diploma but Australia, our large cousin country was all graduating B. Phty level degrees.

[apocalypse]

I just want to reiterate my point.

Dr is not a profession but a degree title.
When a student qualifies from medicine, they have three degrees.
They then study, in the main, medicine or surgery, whereby the become a Medic/Physician or Surgeon (obviously other titles such as GP, Psychiatrist exist)

I studied physio, if I earn a PhD, I'll be Dr..... but still a physio.

I become a physician, I'll have lots of degree, I'll be Dr... but still a physician.

So, its a moot point of what we should call ourselves. Our occupation and academic qualifications are two very different things. Public perception is something else though and I want to go to the best of whatever profession it is. I'd rather go to a physio with a doctorate in the area I have a problem with. As much as I would go to a ortho surgeon with a fracture versus a vascular surgeon...silly point I know.

[gcoe]

I agree, Apocalypse

It would be good if it was limited to academic qualification

One point though: the DPT and other equivalent doctorates are not specialist qualifications. They are generally generalist qualifications. In fact the physiotherapy component is actually not alot more in depth training than many baccalaureate 4 year trainings. Students only commit to three years of education at that level. The only difference is that you have usually completed an undergraduate four year degree in some related science. So a DPT is not really a guarantee of higher quality, particularly with some of the more shonky educational institutions getting in on the act in the US (along side reputable faculties). And it certainly isn't and indicator of specialisation./

[ross88online]

We are afraid of doctor. people here don't know much about physiotherapists....whenever we say we wanted to study physio they will ask what is that??
hope people here will be more aware of physiotherapist in future....