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
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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