Physical therapists / Physiotherapists are Doctors but can use "Dr" prefix to the name?

Physical therapists / Physiotherapists are Doctors but can use "Dr" prefix to the name?

This is very awkward situation when someone asks in ignorance, if physiotherapists are doctors or not? They can use Prefix "Dr" or not.
Are physical therapists doctors

Yes Physical Therapists / Physiotherapists are Doctors: 

We have (4.5 year Bachelors degree BPT) + (2 year Master degree MPT) + (3 year Doctoral degree) = Doctor of Physical Therapy.  Here’s a crazy thought, from kindergarten to doctoral graduation I have spent 22 years of my 29 year life in school, we are skilled and master of our medical subjects.

Physiotherapists / Physical therapists are musculoskeletal expert:

A comprehensive study of healthcare providers found that physical therapist knowledge of the musculoskeletal system is second only to specialized orthopedic physicians.  So don't get confused over our expertise.

Physiotherapists are movement specialist:

Along with extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal system , I specialize in the kinesiology of our body as a dynamic and biomechanics moving system functioning in synergy to perform everything from daily activities to elite athletic competition like Olympics. We provide our esteemed services to all.

Direct access: 

Britain (UK) become the first state to allow the physical therapists to prescribe the medicine

Physiotherapists are skilled in prevention, assessment and management of conditions affecting the musculoskeletal, circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems. We utilize several different methods and therapies as well as continual training to ensure that our techniques are perfected and our patients well-being is assured.

Adding to this in the state of Washington, you do not need a physician referral to see a physical therapist.  And in all states, physical therapists with their doctorates are educated in differential diagnosis and can properly diagnose and direct you to the appropriate healthcare provider if it falls outside our scope of physiotherapy practice.

Physiotherapists/ physical therapists are cost-effective:

 Various studies show physical therapy is more effective and less expensive than medical care or surgery with results lasting longer.  Studies also show care is less expensive when going to a physiotherapist / physical therapist FIRST versus being referred from your primary care provider.

Costly drugs with side effects

Physical therapists / physiotherapists provide cutting edge treatments:

Physiotherapists utilize manual therapy, SFMA, trigger point dry needling, electrotherapy which is having no side effects and cost effective.

                                                                        Many a times some insecure and notorious professionals climes that physiotherapist should not use Dr as prefix, according to them it is wrong, so let’s have a deep insight on this issue.

Why Can’t Physiotherapists, the medical practitioner, treating patients, prefix Dr with their name?

 Who has regulated, authorized, awarded the degree for the medical practitioners like MBBS, BAMS and BDS etc to prefix Dr with their names?

 Does it regulated under any Indian Universities or MCI or DCI or IMA the Private association.?

 Ridiculous as blurred . Does the IMA has the audacity to object on Govt of Gujurat's notification on Physiotherapists prefixing Dr with their names??? If yes Who then allowed them to prefix Dr. before their names without having Ph. D degree?

 It is illegal even for a MBBS BDS BAMS etc qualified practitioner to prefix Dr with their names without having Ph. D. degree.

Certainly they are referred as doctor so as physiotherapists and all are supposed to write Doctor after their name as their profession if law is to be interpreted.

 But this irony and not in consonance with any central or state government or University regulations.

It is even not understood need to be debated in which context Supreme Court of India has given the degree for prefixing Dr. to the registered medical practitioner as claimed by IMA, Gujarat Branch.

Friends please tell me why then Engineers prefix Er. Charted Accountants as CA. who has allowed them to prefix like this . If it goes on as a fashion in practice then why people are then doing Ph. D and getting the degree to prefix Dr. with their names.

To my opinion only Ph. D degree holders are eligible to prefix Dr with their name if law is to be interpreted weighing importance to the degree awarded by Indian universities. Therefore, no so called medical practitioners be it MBBS or BPT etc are allowed to prefix Dr with their names without Ph. D degree.

Most important, they are honored and referred as doctors while treating patients and they can add Doctor after their names as medical practice (Doctor) is their profession but can't prefix Dr with their names without Ph. D Degree.

The Ph.D. is originally a degree granted by a university to learned individuals who had achieved the approval of their peers and who had demonstrated a long and productive career in the field of philosophy (in the broad sense of the term philosophy, the pursuit of knowledge).

THE word doctor originate from Latin means teacher. The appellation of "Doctor" (from Latin: teacher) was usually awarded only when the individual was in middle age.

It indicated a life dedicated to learning, to knowledge, and to the spread of knowledge.

So according to this who are doctor? One who have doctorate degree, offered by university in respective field, or as matter of convention who has devoted their most of life in the field to attain the knowledge in the respective field?

You would be surprised to know that historically, lawyers in most European countries were addressed with the title of doctor?

it is very clear  that the Prefix Dr used by registered medical professionals holding a bachelor degree is a matter of cultural convention and granted by history as an honorary.

Physiotherapy is totally drug less therapy and a established profession having 4 and 1/2 years to 9 and 1/2 years of education in the prescribed course and clinical skills. Physiotherapists assess, evaluate, diagnose and treat a variety of clinical conditions with physical means. in many cases a

Physiotherapist assist the medical doctors during the rehabilitation of a patient as a member of the medical team which alone will not make physiotherapy profession a paramedical course.....when other country health care professionals are working as a team for betterment of their patients through a holistic approach, our country people are still busy with the matter "who can write Dr. and who can not…

Now coming back to physiotherapist, if the major community of Physiotherapist in India wants to prefix Dr in to their names, it should be allowed as a matter of convention same as manner the dentist are using from 90s.

 IAP has released a press note that the Physiotherapist who wants Dr as prefix should Use Pt as suffix to make sure they are Physiotherapist not the RMP and they don't prescribe medication.

Prescribing right is a matter of government of India and only registered medical professionals can prescribe Drugs.

Physiotherapist in UK has provision to do prescription with experience and certain qualification, but in India any physiotherapist or other Professionals who is not RMP and prescribing medications is a Quack. But using Dr as a Prefix is not a quack.

Why a Physiotherapist community willing to use Dr as prefix to their name? The answer to this is that India is such a vast country where majority of the population thinks who treats patient is a doctor, doesn’t  matter they are educated or illiterate. They don’t Recognized Physiotherapist as independent healthcare professionals so they lack trusting Physiotherapist as Independent Practices.

In last 15- 20 years physiotherapy has evolved from Diploma to Doctorate level. They are no more subordinate to medical Doctors, share the equal status. To gain the similar trust from population, (that they are capable of treating independently) they need to prefix Dr as a convention that all other health care professional’s uses.

  

Point to be noted Orthopedic Doctor S. Brent Brotzman M. D. and PHYSIOTHERAPIST Kevin E. Will, P. T. who wrote this excellent book for clinical orthopedic rehabilitation but Brotzman didn't use prefix Dr.

But unfortunately in India a M. B. B. S, PMR, MCI and physiotherapist and occupational therapists are fighting for using prefix Dr. Why????????????





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