Here is a giant difference. Veterinarians, dentists, MDs, DOs, pharmacists, psychologists, etc. all need to be licensed to practice what they learned while getting their degrees. PhDs… ha, one can get a PhD in an obscure country and will still be recognized as a PhD scientist all over the world.
Some of the respiratory therapists I know well as PhDs in various subjects. Most of them do not call themselves Dr, except on rare occasions as they prefer not to create any possible confusion with MD doctors. I have great respect for them and their fields of expertise but they also have great respect for medical doctors.
As a one-time journalist myself, I side with @bearcatfan, using "Doctor/Dr. only for those medical professionals who hold the M.D. and D.O. degrees. Otherwise, patients are likely confused, even within a medical setting.
I once had a school superintendent inquire why I never referred to her as Dr. So-and-So in my news articles while she was always orally addressed as such by others. I explained that the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook (1977 edition) guided us to “Use Dr. in the first reference as a formal title before the name of an individual who holds a doctor of medicine degree.” For all others, such as this superintendent holding a Doctor of Education degree, we would cite her name and then write, “who holds a doctorate in education” if the context merited its mention.
Our son once canceled his annual physical with “Dr. _____” after he Googled that person and discovered she was a nurse practitioner having her doctorate in that. It was a whole other year before he had his physical with an M.D. He plans to earn his own M.D. degree and now is particularly sensitive when a nurse is identified as a “doctor.” I agree with him.
With SOME nurse practitioners, plan to undergo many more scans and tests if you are seen by one. Some lack the critical thinking, experience and certainty the training to depend on their own judgment. Hospitals like the added revenue that is generated by these NPs but you might not like the additional co-pays. Some patients leave the office thinking that that NP was so much thorough than the physician they had seen before. Think again. Some NPs don’t even know what to make of those extra lab results.
@socalemma it’s called elephant ear washer
An unlicensed MD, etc., is still Dr.
In a medical setting only licensed MDs and DOs should have that title.
@hermom1 you wrote…
Where did you hear this? There really is not a “difference” in the education of DO and MD students.
@WayOutWestMom could you explain what is and isn’t different?
@thumper1 I definitely don’t want to debate the difference but there is a difference (small difference but there is a difference – also it’s easier to gain admission to a D.O. school). My post wasn’t saying one was better or worse. My primary provider is a D.O. and I love him because he uses more alternative and holistic therapies (there is a stronger focus on these in D.O. training). Both great! Both Dr.'s!
I hope the OP got his ears lavaged!
There is a small difference in the medical school educations of MD’s and DO’s. And many DO schools do have slightly lower average MCAT scores and undergraduate GPA’s. All medical students do pass licensing exams and have the same basic educations. What the DO’s study is in addition to the requirements of an MD, not instead of.
OK, I will join in. I am a NP with who has a doctorate. I would not call myself “Dr.” in a clinical setting to avoid confusion. But, what is wrong with my saying, “I am Dr. GT alum, a nurse practitioner.” ???
@MinnesotaDadof3 the “facts” you present that NPs order more tests and scans is not supported by the evidence.
I’m insulted by the ‘facts’ stated by @MinnesotaDadof3 I work with some of the best Nurse Practitioners and they certainly can interpret the labs they order.
For my personal care I was diagnosed with a condition by an NP that does require the management of a medical Dr. I hate those visits, he is always so rushed and barely answers any questions, if it wasn’t for the online portal I wouldn’t even get to know my lab results let alone an interpretation of these results. If I can chose I would always chose an NP and I don’t feel they are misrepresenting themselves when the introduce themselves as Dr Ellie.
A Canadian Dr’s perspective on the issue:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5026525/#!po=5.00000
I’ve been in the ER a lot with my folks, and gone to many medical appointments. All the staff at my preferred hospital introduce themselves in exactly the same manner. “Hi I’m Dr smith, one of the ER physicians” or “hi I’m Eric and I’m one of the nurses” or “hi I’m Stacy and I’m one of the physician assistants” etc.
Question - I understand what is involved with a PhD. But what training is needed to have a doctorate level title in fields like nursing, occupational therapy, pharmacy. For years I’ve only seen Masters level providers, so I’m curious if the doctorate level folks are able to do more or just have different training?
@surfcity My niece has a pharmD. It was a 6 year program. She started the program right out of high school (some programs have you transfer in after 2 years of college). She was in a program where she also earned an MBA. This required just one summer school class that would not have been required to get just the PharmD. Otherwise the electives from each program were the requirements for the other program.
She was recruited heavily by a national drug store, they paid off her student loans for her, and she was a pharmacy manager within just a couple of years.
I doubt that all would have happened with a masters level pharmacy degree, at least not as quickly.
The MBA probably helped it along almost as much as the pharmD degree.
Not a direct answer to your question, but it does appear that some professions are creeping upward in terms of preferred educational attainment. For example, nursing appears to be favoring BSN over ADN more as time goes on, and occupational therapy is now a master’s level program minimum (instead of a bachelor’s level program). So it would not be surprising if there ongoing increase in degree level preferences result in an increasing number of people in health professions (other than physicians or (in some contexts) dentists and optometrists) with doctoral degrees in their fields as time goes on.
@surfcity Over and above my masters, my doctorate (DNP) gives me additional preparation in research, leadership, informatics, and statisitics. My training allows me to better analyze and apply evidence based practice and evaluate systems for improving value based care. My doctorate is an additional 500 clinical hours, 36 academic credits, and a clinical research project. I did not get it (Or will get it. I graduate in May!) to be called a doctor in clinical practice not compare my training to a MD or DO. I have a passion for quality improvement and want to make sure I do my part to help the medical system deliver the best care to patients for the best value. My master’s did not prepare me as well for such systems thinking. If I can contribute my small part, I will be happy and don’t care what you call me.
There used to be a difference between MD and DO but thanks to the power of the AMA, it’s been the same for decades.
As a pharmacist, you get a PharmD designation (now all you get from many schools upon graduating). You could be called “doctor” but you can’t prescribe or diagnose except on limited basis in most states. The years of training you’ve received is not geared in that direction (although it feels like it is!) but specialized.
To walk into someone’s room at a hospital and announce yourself as “doctor so and so” is simply not acceptable in my opinion. You are not the doctor to that patient. You aren’t in charge of any patient and cannot directly prescribe for a patient in that venue.
You could say “I’m a clinical pharmacist(these days a pharmacy doctorate) with such and such background working as part of the hospital team and I’d like to go over your meds with you to help determine if there are changes in your medication regimen which may help you.”
NP can prescribe on limited basis. Got a cold? Okay. Need surgery? Not okay.
Physician assistant—. Broken leg okay.
Flu? Okay. Bigger range of common ailments. Okay. Order tests. Okay.
Heart problems that aren’t easy? They call the cardiologist.
My dad’s cardiologist has specific order forms for follow up appointments in his office that go to his staff. The appointment is either scheduled with the NP or an appointment with him directly. Simple form of triage that I appreciate.
Perhaps the German system should be used as they differentiate the various doctorates well, i.e. Dr. rer. nat., Dr. Medezin, Dr. Juris.
Oddly enough, medical doctors who graduated from the English educational system back in the day have a bachelor’s in medicine. So under the US system they are not ‘Doctors.’
Only my personal experiences and anecdotal—the difference is a DO takes time and listens to your ailments and actually cares about what you say might be wrong in your body. After all you’ve lived in your body for a long time
The MD not quite so much.
YMMV.