...huh? If you're a patient in a hospital and someone in a white coat introduces themself as "Dr. Soandso", you unequivocally think he is a PHYSICIAN. A DOCTOR. A person with a MEDICAL LICENSE.
Hell, I'm a medical student, I'm pretty damn savvy, and I'm not "intelligent enough" to know who the hell is who with all the white coats and "Dr's" and acronyms and inflated degrees and letters after everyone's name, I certainly don't expect 90 y/o Mrs. Collins to be able to differentiate who the hell's got an actual medical license and who doesn't. Sure, it shouldn't matter all that much as long as everyone's doing their job and providing good care, but don't you think she deserves to know? Don't you think she deserves to understand what everyone's role is in her care? And don't you think it's a little selfish for you to expect her to do a double-lux backflip learning everyone's name and read everyone's nametag and remember everyone's level of training just so you can be called "Dr" and wear a white coat, two things that have always identified a person as a physician? Argue and muddy the waters all you want about all the little exceptions and caveats to that universally accepted convention, but don't kid yourself - you're being extremely selfish and you're entitled to nothing that you are trying to claim.
But I know that I'll convince few if any. I know that you've already gained enough ground so that at this point your "progress" is essentially irreversible. I know that it's no longer special to wear a white coat, it no longer denotes doctor. Heck, even "doctor" doesn't denote doctor anymore, thanks to all you ME-TOO Johnny Come-Latelys. I know that I'll be underpaid and overworked and my status in society will only degrade over the course of my career, and I realize that people with a fraction of my training, student debt, and personal investment will directly insult me by claiming they can do my job and wage their crusade. I know all this - and I've accepted it. Just know that I'm on to you, and so are my colleagues. And know that as much as you can fool patients and friends and family with your whole phony "doctor" routine, you'll never have the full respect from ME that you would otherwise deserve if you hadn't compromised your professionalism and my own career with your selfish ambition. Anyone who takes issue with anything I've said can feel free to have the last word on this thread because I'm not coming back because this thread depresses me.
By the end of his post I started to think I was going into a medical insurance career. Relax, Jeff, we as DPTs will be making $60K with $100K+ in student loans. Be thankful for your 6-figures, and stop complaining that we are "compromising" your career. If you would like to take your anger out on someone, I know of a Chiro that lives just down the street...