What do y'all think - Physical therapists should be called Doc too

[Timmythemic22]

Fixed.

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[PlasticMan]

🙂

We prefer to call it "developmentally delayed".

I believe the official PC term is "dummy".

 

[juleswinfield]

Timmythemic22,

Thanks man, that's the pic I had in mind but was too lazy to search for.

Word.

 

[Ubadub]

I wouldn't lump gas in there because crna programs aren't that widespread. Gas is probably the specialty that is most quickly growing in terms of competativeness. I'm told that twenty years ago, only the bottom of the barrell applied to gas. Now it's probably tougher to match than general surgery.

I've heard that. Much respect, but I prefer the term fart doctor.

 

[Haemulon]

Dude, that's somebody's child in the photo. Regardless of the PC thing .... imagine if you were his parents and saw that? Not cool. I know you wern't the one that created it, but still ... have a heart man.

 

[Noeljan]

Dude, that's somebody's child in the photo. Regardless of the PC thing .... imagine if you were his parents and saw that? Not cool. I know you wern't the one that created it, but still ... have a heart man.

👍

 

[Timmythemic22]

Ugh.


Let's all be more sensitive, shall we? And my foolishness, thinking an internet forum was the last bastion of laughing at what we found funny.

 

[soeagerun2or]

Dude, that's somebody's child in the photo. Regardless of the PC thing .... imagine if you were his parents and saw that? Not cool. I know you wern't the one that created it, but still ... have a heart man.

Pre-amniocentesis

 

[BigBucksPTA]

Ugh.


Let's all be more sensitive, shall we? And my foolishness, thinking an internet forum was the last bastion of laughing at what we found funny.

Posting a photo like that reflects bad taste and poor judgment of the poster. And he/she wants to be a physician? I think he/she should reconsider.

And those of you who thought it was cool or funny - shame on you. You have no right being a doctor.

 

[Haemulon]

Ugh.


Let's all be more sensitive, shall we? And my foolishness, thinking an internet forum was the last bastion of laughing at what we found funny.

Making fun of children that suffer from a disabilitiy or genetic condition is funny? 😕

You make think differently one day, especially if you come to care about someone in such a circumstance.

 

[davidgayz]

I don't think it matters what we call it; the patient's perception will drive things. We can call everybody down to the cafeteria staff "doctor", but the patient is still going to say, "I want to talk to the doctor," and is going to mean the MD (or DO).

Its interesting you bring this up. I was studying in the school cafeteria one day and started thinking about how absurd it was that as a pharmacist I had to know certain things. Then I had an epiphany, that they should create the Doctorate in cafeteria science, Cafs.D. or something to that effect. I started laughing uncontrollably picturing workers in the back, resembling chris farely, looking at a sloppy joe under a microscope for e.coli. I think the solution is simple, the Dr. title goes out to anyone who earns more than 200,000 per year. Anyone. Inheritance and contest winnings don't count. So i guess this would include some unsavory character, even people who never made it past middle school, but its a good system and I think we should give it a chance.

 

[93106]

i worked as an aide in a pt wound clinic for a while. i know that pt's work REALLY hard and have a lot of responsibility. i have a lot of respect for them and if it's really important to the majority of them to be called "doctor" that's fine with me. who cares?

Dude or dudette

I hope you're not trying to diss the PT profession - I hope u realize that without us, orthopods would be outta business.

We just demand the respect we deserve.

Also FYI - the APTA (thats our governing body) is demanding the right to treat a patient without the need for a physician referral. Once that goes through in all the 50 states, then you'll see a huge increase in our prestige, our salary and you'll be the ones calling us eminences 😉

All in good spirit, constructive discussion only

 

[PlasticMan]

Making fun of children that suffer from a disabilitiy or genetic condition is funny? 😕

You make think differently one day, especially if you come to care about someone in such a circumstance.

From the dennis leary song titled "dingus." :

"I like to park in Handicap spaces,
While Handicapped people,
Make handicapped faces."

 

[juleswinfield]

i worked as an aide in a pt wound clinic for a while. i know that pt's work REALLY hard and have a lot of responsibility. i have a lot of respect for them and if it's really important to the majority of them to be called "doctor" that's fine with me. who cares?

So Sahmbo,

If I understand your reasoning, people who work REALLY hard and have lots of responsibility get to be called doctor if they want. That's great then. My mom works really hard and she has lots of responsibility. Heck, I work hard at my engineering job when I'm not on SDN and you bet your bottom dollar I have a lot of responsibility. So I guess I can just call myself doctor too because I want to then? Awesome! You just saved me $300k in tuition. Thanks!!!

 

[soeagerun2or]

I hope you're not trying to diss the PT profession - I hope u realize that without us, orthopods would be outta business.

PTs are merely an accessory position to make orthopedic surgeon's lives easier.. How can you have a doctoral level degree in being an assistant?

Let's face it, you can call yourselves doctors all you want but everyone knows the truth - you're just not as good!

 

[juleswinfield]

Posting a photo like that reflects bad taste and poor judgment of the poster. And he/she wants to be a physician? I think he/she should reconsider.

And those of you who thought it was cool or funny - shame on you. You have no right being a doctor.

And to you, BigBucksPTA, I tell you what. I thought that pic was hilarious because I thought the situation warranted it. So since I thought it was funny and you have appointed yourself the Governess of All Things Appropriate, then I guess I'll go ahead and free up one spot in Tulane's C/O 2011 since I no longer have the right to attend. Any takers?

One question for you though. What does the "A" stand for in "BigBucksPTA"?

 

[juleswinfield]

Making fun of children that suffer from a disabilitiy or genetic condition is funny? 😕

You make think differently one day, especially if you come to care about someone in such a circumstance.

And to you Haemulon,

Yes, I agree, making fun of people with a condition that was caused through no fault of their own is petty and childish. But then again...I am petty and childish...hence the reason I argue on the internet.

But I tell you what, every patient of mine who has something wrong with them that they did to themselves via choice or omission is fare game for a good heckling. I can only treat the same 400 lb smoker with diabetes, heart disease, and whatever else only so many times for weight related issues before I'm going to start laughing at him behind his back.

 

[catau]

Just FYI - a PharmD is 6 years post-high school. IIRC, a DPT is 6 years post-college (10 years post high school).

Internal Medicine:
4 yrs college + 4 yrs med school + 3 yr residency = 11 years after high school

That assumes NO fellowship and the very shortest residency possible.

DPT is 3 years after college. Some schools offer DPT = 3 yrs colllege + 3 yeas DPT program. Total is 6-7 years after high school.

 

[Timmythemic22]

I like your style Jules. Can I be your friend? 😀

 

[juleswinfield]

TimmytheMic, you can be my wingman anytime.....

And Sahmbo, I really apologize for beating this dead horse but I finally found the movie quote your post reminded me of. It's from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation:

[after Clark fails at lighting all the exterior Christmas lights at the "lighting ceremony" in front of the entire family]
Frances: Talk about pissing your money away. I hope you kids see what a silly waste of resources this was.
Audrey: He worked really hard, Grandma.
Art: So do washing machines.

Peace.

 

[Haemulon]

And to you Haemulon,

Yes, I agree, making fun of people with a condition that was caused through no fault of their own is petty and childish. But then again...I am petty and childish...hence the reason I argue on the internet.

But I tell you what, every patient of mine who has something wrong with them that they did to themselves via choice or omission is fare game for a good heckling. I can only treat the same 400 lb smoker with diabetes, heart disease, and whatever else only so many times for weight related issues before I'm going to start laughing at him behind his back.

I hear you. I think it is natural to vent frustration about patients that continually harm their own health, especially when they disregard their physician's advice and guidance to do so.

 

[teedub]

alright...i was in a DPT program and now am in medical school, and there was always this rivalry about who's better at what (so i guess i'm in a pretty good position for a somewhat informed opinion). on one hand, DPT's can be considered specialists in rehab (the whole "direct access" thing, though...how do you definitively tell the difference between an grade III ankle sprain and an avulsion Fx without an X-Ray??)...on the other hand, athletic trainers (and MOST PT's if they graduated over 15 years ago) can do their job with a bachelor's degree (and a PTA can pretty much do it with less). in my former DPT program, they essentially just added 10 credit hours to the degree, made the subject matter less dense (i.e. the same stuff in 3 years instead of 2), and called it a doctorate degree. THAT is degree inflation. now the occupational therapists want to be called doctors too (you know...because teaching people to wash their backs really requires 7 years of school and a doctorate degree). i have to say it's out of hand on both sides (with the PT's/OT's/everybody else in the freaking world constantly wanting to show up the people who went to 12 years of school and the current physicians who insist that they're better ONLY BECAUSE they went to 12 years of school), and the main two things that drive it all are 1.) arrogance and 2.) money...both for the programs themselves and their graduates. there's absolutely no patient interest here, so i think we'd be better off if we dropped this title b.s. and started doing what we're MEDICALLY QUALIFIED to do.

by the way, the "y'all" thing?? it's a complete waste of time....

 

[93106]

i said i didn't care if pt's were called "doctor"; that does not mean that pt's called doctors would inherit the responsibilities of a doctor. my advice to you is to examine your own logic as carefully as you examine others'.

300k of tuition? you're paying 75k a year??? WOW!!!😱

So Sahmbo,

If I understand your reasoning, people who work REALLY hard and have lots of responsibility get to be called doctor if they want. That's great then. My mom works really hard and she has lots of responsibility. Heck, I work hard at my engineering job when I'm not on SDN and you bet your bottom dollar I have a lot of responsibility. So I guess I can just call myself doctor too because I want to then? Awesome! You just saved me $300k in tuition. Thanks!!!

 

[juleswinfield]

alright...i was in a DPT program and now am in medical school, and there was always this rivalry about who's better at what (so i guess i'm in a pretty good position for a somewhat informed opinion). on one hand, DPT's can be considered specialists in rehab (the whole "direct access" thing, though...how do you definitively tell the difference between an grade III ankle sprain and an avulsion Fx without an X-Ray??)...on the other hand, athletic trainers (and MOST PT's if they graduated over 15 years ago) can do their job with a bachelor's degree (and a PTA can pretty much do it with less). in my former DPT program, they essentially just added 10 credit hours to the degree, made the subject matter less dense (i.e. the same stuff in 3 years instead of 2), and called it a doctorate degree. THAT is degree inflation. now the occupational therapists want to be called doctors too (you know...because teaching people to wash their backs really requires 7 years of school and a doctorate degree). i have to say it's out of hand on both sides (with the PT's/OT's/everybody else in the freaking world constantly wanting to show up the people who went to 12 years of school and the current physicians who insist that they're better ONLY BECAUSE they went to 12 years of school), and the main two things that drive it all are 1.) arrogance and 2.) money...both for the programs themselves and their graduates. there's absolutely no patient interest here, so i think we'd be better off if we dropped this title b.s. and started doing what we're MEDICALLY QUALIFIED to do.

by the way, the "y'all" thing?? it's a complete waste of time....

So...just to get this clear...did you switch to med school because you wanted the unequivocal right to be called "doctor"? Because that would be awesome!

 

[93106]

i agree with this. except the "ya'll" part. the more "ya'lls" the better.

alright...i was in a DPT program and now am in medical school, and there was always this rivalry about who's better at what (so i guess i'm in a pretty good position for a somewhat informed opinion). on one hand, DPT's can be considered specialists in rehab (the whole "direct access" thing, though...how do you definitively tell the difference between an grade III ankle sprain and an avulsion Fx without an X-Ray??)...on the other hand, athletic trainers (and MOST PT's if they graduated over 15 years ago) can do their job with a bachelor's degree (and a PTA can pretty much do it with less). in my former DPT program, they essentially just added 10 credit hours to the degree, made the subject matter less dense (i.e. the same stuff in 3 years instead of 2), and called it a doctorate degree. THAT is degree inflation. now the occupational therapists want to be called doctors too (you know...because teaching people to wash their backs really requires 7 years of school and a doctorate degree). i have to say it's out of hand on both sides (with the PT's/OT's/everybody else in the freaking world constantly wanting to show up the people who went to 12 years of school and the current physicians who insist that they're better ONLY BECAUSE they went to 12 years of school), and the main two things that drive it all are 1.) arrogance and 2.) money...both for the programs themselves and their graduates. there's absolutely no patient interest here, so i think we'd be better off if we dropped this title b.s. and started doing what we're MEDICALLY QUALIFIED to do.

by the way, the "y'all" thing?? it's a complete waste of time....

 

[trainride]

When a dissertation is a requirement for a DPT then they deserve to be called doctor as much as a Phd or EDd.

 

[Taurus]

I find this whole degree inflation thing is so stupid. First, the pharmacists did it and now the PT's and OT's are doing it. And you know what? Their roles and most probably their salaries will be the same afterwards. The schools though get like 2 more years of tuition money. The people get somewhat of an ego boost because now they can walk around and say that they are a "doctor". Maybe they can use that title to get a date with that hot girl. Are there any professional degrees left to be converted to clinical "doctorates"? I'm predicting that dental hygienists will soon be a doctorate level too.

 

[RokChalkJayhawk]

I hope you're not trying to diss the PT profession - I hope u realize that without us, orthopods would be outta business.

Don't you mean the other way around? I always went to the PT after the orthopod when I was playing football (and injuring myself, often badly).

 

[teedub]

So...just to get this clear...did you switch to med school because you wanted the unequivocal right to be called "doctor"? Because that would be awesome!

yes...and because of the white coat...and the stethoscope...and, well, mostly the drugs. and the y'all thing: you have to type the apostrophe AND the "all". that's two extra letters PLUS the apostrophe slightly to the right of home row. if you ask me, that's way too much extra work just to sound like a texan (which, for some reason, is proud of its horrible grammar).

 

[psipsina]

yes...and because of the white coat...and the stethoscope...and, well, mostly the drugs. and the y'all thing: you have to type the apostrophe AND the "all". that's two extra letters PLUS the apostrophe slightly to the right of home row. if you ask me, that's way too much extra work just to sound like a texan (which, for some reason, is proud of its horrible grammar).

Originally a yankee, I just would like to speak up in defense of y'all. It really isn't poor grammar. In all other romance languages (based in latin) there is a "you plural", but this just doesn't exist in English in any form other than y'all. When I took latin as an undergraduate our proffessors actually had us translate the you plurals as y'all to show that we recognized the difference in the poetry we were reading. I have found that it is quite a useful to be able to express the difference between you singular and you plural in day to day language.

 

[Tired]

I think everyone in the hospital should be called Doctor. PTs, NPs, techs, and janitors. Give them all white coats. Then we can all walk around feeling good about ourselves.

"I need a doctor!"

"Why, what's going on?"

"I spilled my coffee and need a mop."

 

[Critical Mass]

I think everyone in the hospital should be called Doctor. PTs, NPs, techs, and janitors. Give them all white coats. Then we can all walk around feeling good about ourselves.

"I need a doctor!"

"Why, what's going on?"

"I spilled my coffee and need a mop."

👍

 

[GoodDoctor]

Originally a yankee, I just would like to speak up in defense of y'all. It really isn't poor grammar. In all other romance languages (based in latin) there is a "you plural", but this just doesn't exist in English in any form other than y'all. When I took latin as an undergraduate our proffessors actually had us translate the you plurals as y'all to show that we recognized the difference in the poetry we were reading. I have found that it is quite a useful to be able to express the difference between you singular and you plural in day to day language.

Just an interesting tidbit: "You" once was the plural 2nd person form (also formal 2nd person). "Thee/Thou" were the singular forms. Your profs could have had you use this structure when translating, just like the translators of the King James Version of the Bible did. It's interesting that many readers of the KJV don't realize that thee/thou is singular, and end up thinking of them as "formal" because old english *feels* more formal. I've asked people who pray using "thee/thou/thy" why they do so, and they invariably say it is to show respect, unwittingly using the informal form (and missing the more important point that the translation shows a familial, rather than respectful relationship). 🙂

 

[Haemulon]

Just an interesting tidbit: "You" once was the plural 2nd person form (also formal 2nd person). "Thee/Thou" were the singular forms. Your profs could have had you use this structure when translating, just like the translators of the King James Version of the Bible did. It's interesting that many readers of the KJV don't realize that thee/thou is singular, and end up thinking of them as "formal" because old english *feels* more formal. I've asked people who pray using "thee/thou/thy" why they do so, and they invariably say it is to show respect, unwittingly using the informal form (and missing the more important point that the translation shows a familial, rather than respectful relationship). 🙂

Interesting. I am curious, which form would be considered the formal singular?

 

[psipsina]

Just an interesting tidbit: "You" once was the plural 2nd person form (also formal 2nd person). "Thee/Thou" were the singular forms. Your profs could have had you use this structure when translating, just like the translators of the King James Version of the Bible did. It's interesting that many readers of the KJV don't realize that thee/thou is singular, and end up thinking of them as "formal" because old english *feels* more formal. I've asked people who pray using "thee/thou/thy" why they do so, and they invariably say it is to show respect, unwittingly using the informal form (and missing the more important point that the translation shows a familial, rather than respectful relationship). 🙂

neat. though I'm highly unlikely to use the/thou in casual conversation it would have been fun in latin.🙂

 

[Never2L8]

When a dissertation is a requirement for a DPT then they deserve to be called doctor as much as a Phd or EDd.

The University of South Carolina's DPT program is 4 yrs and requires a dissertation.

 

[Instatewaiter]

Serously, did you dig up a month old thread to post that?

So great, a DPTs from Sc can call themselves doctor, but still not in a clinical setting.

 

[tupac_don]

With the new regulations, you need to get a DPT degree to be a physical therapist. Also with the new regulations, you need to have a PharmD to be a pharmacist.

I think that the title Doctor should be used when physicians talk to any of the two professionals above. It is a bit unfair when used only for you guys. If optometrists (ODs) can use the title, we should be able to use it too. PharmD and DPT are much harder degrees to get than ODs.

Comments?

Don't knock the OD's their school is not easy. (and no I am not an OD, I actually finished pharmD). As far as why OD's or say Dentists or podiatrists are called doctors depends on their work environment. It's kinda confusing if you come into pts room and say oh I am the doctor (but not the medical one, I am a pharmacist). I just think the word is getting diluted. Doctor was reserved for practicing physicans, now people with Music degrees call themselves doctor. Btw, why optometrists use the title, if you notice MD's don't call them doctor, it's their pts and they are out in the community.

The point is if you work in a hospital it would get REAL confusing if all PT's and pharmacists were called doctor too. Hey why not call the nurses doctors too, some of them finished NP (they also have the doctorate).

 

[tupac_don]

I think everyone in the hospital should be called Doctor. PTs, NPs, techs, and janitors. Give them all white coats. Then we can all walk around feeling good about ourselves.

"I need a doctor!"

"Why, what's going on?"

"I spilled my coffee and need a mop."

You make a joke, but it's true, you know how many times Ive seen a janitor in a white coat, it's getting a little out of hand. Everybody is a doctor these days.

 

[akpete]

I can't believe this ridiculous thread is at the top of the page again. 👎

 

[naegleria brain]

Don't knock the OD's their school is not easy. (and no I am not an OD, I actually finished pharmD). As far as why OD's or say Dentists or podiatrists are called doctors depends on their work environment. It's kinda confusing if you come into pts room and say oh I am the doctor (but not the medical one, I am a pharmacist). I just think the word is getting diluted. Doctor was reserved for practicing physicans, now people with Music degrees call themselves doctor. Btw, why optometrists use the title, if you notice MD's don't call them doctor, it's their pts and they are out in the community.

The point is if you work in a hospital it would get REAL confusing if all PT's and pharmacists were called doctor too. Hey why not call the nurses doctors too, some of them finished NP (they also have the doctorate).

i dont even call DO's doctor. but that's just in jest.

in my idealistic world, only people who survived the hell of medicine and residency can achieve the title doctor. everyone else wussed out and went for lesser professions that dont hold a candle next to medical school

now that's not fair. i'm sure there are people out there who are perfectly capable of going to med school but had a wife and kids and couldnt sign away a decade to become a doctor, and did dental or optometry instead. i guess i'll give it to them.

basically theyre a doctor if i call them doc. but don't kid yourself, this doctor nonsense is getting out of hand. ive heard the secretary being called a doctor, and she didnt bother to correct him. whatever