Are Pharm Ds "doctors"?

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inquirer89

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So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

I always assumed that it was because most current pharmacists only had their BS, but now there is a big push for Pharm Ds, then pharmacists may attain the same title as their physician counterparts. (Yeah, I know that people with JDs and other degrees aren't called doctors, but pharmacists are more medical-related. Or will customers continue to care less and just want their medicine lol.)

Sorry if this post seems irrelevant or ignorant...it was a random thought that entered in my head today as I sipped my coffee :)

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Well, this random thought is unfortunately not too original. I suggest doing a search, there are dozens of pages of debate which all invariably get reduced to personal insults.

I'd recommend you read there, no need to start another debacle.
 
So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

I always assumed that it was because most current pharmacists only had their BS, but now there is a big push for Pharm Ds, then pharmacists may attain the same title as their physician counterparts. (Yeah, I know that people with JDs and other degrees aren't called doctors, but pharmacists are more medical-related. Or will customers continue to care less and just want their medicine lol.)

Sorry if this post seems irrelevant or ignorant...it was a random thought that entered in my head today as I sipped my coffee :)

:beat:

If you use the search function (I'd suggest, "Are pharmacists doctors?"), you'll find LOTS of discussion on this topic.
 
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For the sake of everyone's sanity, nobody that matters really cares at all. Every single time I've ever worked with any healthcare professional, we've gone by first names. I only know a few pharmacists that go by the "Doctor" moniker. They are all associated with academia in some fashion. You do put Dr. suchandsuch on your mail and checkbooks, however. If one were to go around insisting that people call them "doctor", I would laugh at them. It's pretentious and unwelcoming, IMO.
 
^Yeah I can see that. I remember my professor talked about how her colleague always insisted that she be called Dr. Lastname because of her PhD. My professor thought that was stupid since everyone in the department also had a PhD, and she continued to call her by her first name lol
 
Technically speaking, it's a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, but there are limitations to who can use the title of "Doctor" in their name. For example, in Hong Kong, those who graduate from the post-graduate Juris Doctor program cannot call themselves doctor. Similarly, in Ontario, Canada, only health professionals who can diagnose (5 professions: medicine, dentistry, optometry, chiropractic, psychology) can call themselves "doctors".
 
Dr. Bwsalvas Pharm. D.
 
I worked with a pharmacist who insisted that everyone called her Dr., needless to say, nobody liked her
 
So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

I always assumed that it was because most current pharmacists only had their BS, but now there is a big push for Pharm Ds, then pharmacists may attain the same title as their physician counterparts. (Yeah, I know that people with JDs and other degrees aren't called doctors, but pharmacists are more medical-related. Or will customers continue to care less and just want their medicine lol.)

Sorry if this post seems irrelevant or ignorant...it was a random thought that entered in my head today as I sipped my coffee :)

Yes, pharmacists have doctorate degrees. But No, we usually do not address ourselves as "doctors", at least not for now. Why? It's the politic in healthcare chain.
 
So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

Yes.
 
Depends on the definition of "doctor" - vernacular definition = physician;


Academic definition = holds a doctorate degree; Pharm.D = Doctorate degree; Pharmacist could, therefore, be called "doctor".

However, this title is vernacularly confusing, and will confuse the hell out of patients in a common practice setting.
 
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For the sake of everyone's sanity, nobody that matters really cares at all. Every single time I've ever worked with any healthcare professional, we've gone by first names. I only know a few pharmacists that go by the "Doctor" moniker. They are all associated with academia in some fashion. You do put Dr. suchandsuch on your mail and checkbooks, however. If one were to go around insisting that people call them "doctor", I would laugh at them. It's pretentious and unwelcoming, IMO.

also, don't forget how many MD-Dr's will have you call them by their first names when you are in a professional relationship. I regularly have MDs at the hospital introduce themselves to me by first name despite me being "only" a pharmacy intern. Now if I were on rotations and they were the head of the team I were rounding with - it would be "Dr. SoandSo". But when it's even "hey John, you wrote for 5mg of gentamicin - I'm assuming you meant 5 mg/kg?", they'll correct me if I started that sentence with "Dr. Smith".
 
also, don't forget how many MD-Dr's will have you call them by their first names when you are in a professional relationship. I regularly have MDs at the hospital introduce themselves to me by first name despite me being "only" a pharmacy intern. Now if I were on rotations and they were the head of the team I were rounding with - it would be "Dr. SoandSo". But when it's even "hey John, you wrote for 5mg of gentamicin - I'm assuming you meant 5 mg/kg?", they'll correct me if I started that sentence with "Dr. Smith".


5mg/kg and 7mg/kg have virtually no difference after a few half lives.. but it has a significant difference in Peak/MIC ratio... What say you intern?

And it's Dr. EPIC for you.
 
5mg/kg and 7mg/kg have virtually no difference after a few half lives.. but it has a significant difference in Peak/MIC ratio... What say you intern?

And it's Dr. EPIC for you.

no, no. He wrote for 5 MG of gent. :thumbup: on a 20 kg kid.

not 5 mg/kg.

and his wife is a pharmacy professor. :laugh:
 
no, no. He wrote for 5 MG of gent. :thumbup: on a 20 kg kid.

not 5 mg/kg.

and his wife is a pharmacy professor. :laugh:

And NO NO...we're talking about 2 different things now. I'm questioning you about 5mg/kg gent vs 7mg/kg gent. But I see we're talking about peds here...where 5mg/kg and 7mg/kg are not recommended..

Why the heck are we doing 5mg/kg on a kid?
 
And NO NO...we're talking about 2 different things now. I'm questioning you about 5mg/kg gent vs 7mg/kg gent. But I see we're talking about peds here...where 5mg/kg and 7mg/kg are not recommended..

Why the heck are we doing 5mg/kg on a kid?

well the 7 mg/kg would be for a high dose once daily - someone with sufficient renal function, non-enterococcus infxn. We'll get a higher peak/MIC ratio but also get undetectable troughs (in theory) to hopefully decreased nephro/ototoxicity and decrease possible resistance. The 5 mg/kg dosing results in a lower peak/MIC ratio but detectable troughs. This is bid or tid dosing.


Not sure what was up with the kid - I know it was on the peds oncology floor and the peds pharmacist told me to call on it. My bad for not investigating further.
 
well the 7 mg/kg would be for a high dose once daily - someone with sufficient renal function, non-enterococcus infxn. We'll get a higher peak/MIC ratio but also get undetectable troughs (in theory) to hopefully decreased nephro/ototoxicity and decrease possible resistance. The 5 mg/kg dosing results in a lower peak/MIC ratio but detectable troughs. This is bid or tid dosing.


Not sure what was up with the kid - I know it was on the peds oncology floor and the peds pharmacist told me to call on it. My bad for not investigating further.

geek.
 
well the 7 mg/kg would be for a high dose once daily - someone with sufficient renal function, non-enterococcus infxn. We'll get a higher peak/MIC ratio but also get undetectable troughs (in theory) to hopefully decreased nephro/ototoxicity and decrease possible resistance. The 5 mg/kg dosing results in a lower peak/MIC ratio but detectable troughs. This is bid or tid dosing.


Not sure what was up with the kid - I know it was on the peds oncology floor and the peds pharmacist told me to call on it. My bad for not investigating further.

What was the dosing interval for the kid?
 
honestly don't remember, it was a couple weeks ago. I want to say that it was QD.

Drunk geek with a dementia..
 
possibly BMT patient with fever neutropenia.
 
Not in IA. Here you'll get in legal doo-doo for not using PharmD if you choose to use Dr.

You'd look like a tool, though. In the practice setting EVERYONE should end their name with their credentials when actually writing something. Blah Blah, MD; or Blah Blah, DO;or Blah Blah, PharmD. I'm not sure if it's actually a standard, but it's something that is done round these parts....as it should be.
 
You know, where I come from, people actually like giving themselves titles. There was this this preacher who appeared on TV with the name "Senior prophet, Pastor, Dr XYZ." No kidding.
 
Wonder if it was CF.

I'm pretty sure it was not a CFer... we use tobra on them far more than gent anyway. I'd assume some sort of febrile neutropenic somethingorother, it was a peds oncologist that wrote for it. And an attending at that.
 
First of all, a little history. The colloquial term "doctor" originates from the latin term "docere", which means to teach. Anyone who has a first professional degree, especially in the medical/pharmaceutical fields, has the legal right and entitlement to be referred to as Doctor such and such. After all, all those who have doctorate level degrees, be it in the medical field or Ph.D's, are doctors. The real disparity between pharmacists and "medical doctors" is that we are not physicians. We are doctors, however, even if not always recognized as such.
 
Well PharmD does stand for "Doctor of Pharmacy" so yes PharmDs are technically doctors. Now whether or not people will address them as doctors or consider them "real" doctors (MDs) is another story.
 
If dentists and therapists get to be called doctor then we sure as hell should be called doctor too. Don't care if we look like "tools".
 
If dentists and therapists get to be called doctor then we sure as hell should be called doctor too. Don't care if we look like "tools".

God dammit. I said you shouldn't use both Dr. as a prefix and PharmD as a suffix simultaneously. Using BOTH makes you look like a tool. If you want to put Dr. whatever on your mail, go for it. Nobody will care.
 
Gah I'm so sick of these threads.
 
I haven't been on in a few days so I was just clicking on things.


:smuggrin:
 
Well if I'm on an airplane and a woman goes into birth and someone screams "is anyone a doctor?!?!?" I wouldn't volunteer for that one!
 
The cool thing about PharmDs is that, despite their advanced education and knowledge, they don't need to puff up their egos by calling themselves "doctor" every minute, or worse, trying to induce the public into thinking they are physicians by overusing the title.

But, of course they are "doctors", just like anyone else with a professional or academic doctorate, even the bottom-feeding lawyers :)


So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

I always assumed that it was because most current pharmacists only had their BS, but now there is a big push for Pharm Ds, then pharmacists may attain the same title as their physician counterparts. (Yeah, I know that people with JDs and other degrees aren't called doctors, but pharmacists are more medical-related. Or will customers continue to care less and just want their medicine lol.)

Sorry if this post seems irrelevant or ignorant...it was a random thought that entered in my head today as I sipped my coffee :)
 
Well if I'm on an airplane and a woman goes into birth and someone screams "is anyone a doctor?!?!?" I wouldn't volunteer for that one!

I'm sure the chiropractor would.
 
So if a Pharm D is a professional degree, the same as an MD, OD, DPM, etc. -who are called doctors- then should pharmacists be recognized with the same title?

I always assumed that it was because most current pharmacists only had their BS, but now there is a big push for Pharm Ds, then pharmacists may attain the same title as their physician counterparts. (Yeah, I know that people with JDs and other degrees aren't called doctors, but pharmacists are more medical-related. Or will customers continue to care less and just want their medicine lol.)

Sorry if this post seems irrelevant or ignorant...it was a random thought that entered in my head today as I sipped my coffee :)

Technically, Yes. PharmDs have the title of Dr. In front of there name. But while in a hospital only MDs can be referred to as Dr So and So, but a Pharmacist must be referred to as Dr. So and So, Clinical Pharmacist. It goes for the same for PsyDs or PhDs. In hospitals only MDs can have the title Dr without qualification. Hope this helps. Look it up in Pharmacy Law.
 
Well if I'm on an airplane and a woman goes into birth and someone screams "is anyone a doctor?!?!?" I wouldn't volunteer for that one!

Legally if someone screams that on a plane you have to identify yourself as a pharmacist and offer help you cannot just sit there and do nothing. Otherwise you'd be in trouble. Bummer huh?
 
I dont want anyone calling me doctor and dont expect to be called one.

I have a doctorate, but I am not a physician. Thats what I tell people if they inquire about what a PharmD is.



Legally if someone screams that on a plane you have to identify yourself as a pharmacist and offer help you cannot just sit there and do nothing. Otherwise you'd be in trouble. Bummer huh?

How would you help?

Are they squeezing in lectures on how to deliver babies in between kinetics and med chem now?

In all honesty I wouldnt know the first place to start. Spread your legs?

Im pretty sure I remember learning that law and pharmacists were not included. I remember police, EMTs, fire fighters, doctors, etc...
 
Legally if someone screams that on a plane you have to identify yourself as a pharmacist and offer help you cannot just sit there and do nothing. Otherwise you'd be in trouble. Bummer huh?

Not true. I'm a physician and if someone were having a baby, given my specialty (psychiatry), I'd be absolutely freakin useless. I would try to help, but honestly, no...and if it were a heart attack or something serious, what would I do? I don't carry a medical bag, I don't have any magic pills in my pocket that will help. I would leave such things to EMS personnel. As a pharmacist, unless you're trained as a medical first responder or EMT, I'd keep my mouth shut and enjoy the flight. You have no legal duty to say "I'm a pharmacist!"
 
There are several clinical pharmacists referred to as Dr. suchandsuch at WVU Hospitals. It's not the title or anything superficial like that....it's out of respect for how brilliant they are.
 
I stand corrected, recalling Pharmacy Law. In California, we have no legal obligation to help anyone outside of our practice. It just a matter of ethics and morals after that point.
 
Depends on where in the world you find yourself.

The fact that it's a professional degree doesn't necessarily imply common usage of Dr. title. JD is a professional degree to - but you don't see lawyers being referred to as Dr. So and So.

The only people to call me Dr. X are students I was teaching. Everyone else uses my first name. I didn't even introduce myself to students as Dr. X because it's not natural for me... makes me feel old, I guess. :D (hides wrinkle cream) I only use Dr. X when I am bitching about something to an organization that messes up something I need. :rolleyes:
 
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