What profession would you consider a real "doctor", a real medical science?

[preludexl]

Here's a question I am always debating with friends about. Would you consider a chiropractor, podiatrist, accupunturist, osteopaths (not to be confused with DO), in the same arena of say a DVM, DO, MD, or DDS? These are the only 4 I know who can legally prescribe medication. It seems everyone is calling themselves a "doctor" of something.

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[med student]

MD and DO = doctor
podiatrist = sort of a doctor
dentist, chiropractor, accupuncturist = definately not a doctor
osteopath = not a doctor but I am not quite sure what they are

 

[Goofy]

Originally posted by med student:
•MD and DO = doctor
osteopath = not a doctor but I am not quite sure what they are•••

In the same breath, 'Med student' has given new meaning to the confusion that exists about osteopathic medicine.

 

[med student]

before the original poster wrote

osteopaths (not to be confused with DO •</blockquote>I always thought they were the same thing. So what is the difference between an osteopath and a DO.

 

[Acro Yali]

And whats up with optometrists and pharmacists calling themselves doctors? ....also, whats the differnece between an osteopath, homeopath, and a DO? Someone enlighten me.

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by Acro Yali:
•And whats up with optometrists and pharmacists calling themselves doctors? ....also, whats the differnece between an osteopath, homeopath, and a DO? Someone enlighten me.•••

DO - fully trained and licensed to practice all forms of medicine/prescribe, plus perform osteopathic manipulation

osteopath - only trained to perform osteopathic manipulation. This is the standard of training for most 'osteopaths' in Europe and commonwealth countries

homeopath - tricky to define. homeopathy is a area of alternative health care which believes that a trace amount of a pathogen can effect cure ie like cures like, so for instance a 'cure' for hay fever would be dissolving 1 part pollen in 1 million parts water. some homeopaths work only in homeopathic medicine, some work under the umbrella of 'naturopathic medicine'. naturopaths practice a variety of non-traditional medicine - acupuncture, homeopathy, etc. I think you can get a license as an ND in something like 5 states (ones like Wyoming come to mind - but I could be wrong about which states as I never had an interest in ND)..........

 

[tBw]

Originally posted by preludexl:
•Here's a question I am always debating with friends about. Would you consider a chiropractor, podiatrist, accupunturist, osteopaths (not to be confused with DO), in the same arena of say a DVM, DO, MD, or DDS? These are the only 4 I know who can legally prescribe medication. It seems everyone is calling themselves a "doctor" of something.•••

I guess I don't care about titles too much. My dentist deals with a part of the human body, he has a 4-year post-undergrad degree, similar training to a doctor in similar subjects, he can prescribe drugs, etc. Would I call him a doctor? Sure, because he asked me to! Before that I didn't. But whether I call him a doctor or not, doesn't change the fact of what services I would go to him for. I would no more call him up for an appendectomy than I would go to my regular GP for a root canal. So would I call a chiropractor "Dr X"? Depends if that's how he referred to himself.

As shakespeare said "A rose by any other name..."

 

[Kadyra]

Pharmacists have their Pharm. D. (aka. their "doctorate" in pharmacy... or whatever it exactly stands for). That is why they can call themselves doctors. A Ph.D. is the same deal. OD for optometrists and DP for podiatrists all have the word "doctor" in their initials after their name. Even lawyers have a JD (juris doctorate is what it is, I think... I'd have to ask my friend in law school for sure). It has to do with what advanced degree these people have, not with their ability to prescibe medicine that makes them "doctors." And by the way, a DO is a "doctor of osteopathy" or an "osteopath" (this is a little different outside the US, see above post). A homeopath is usually someone who is into alternative medicines, like herbal remedies and non-traditional treatments (acupuncture, massage, etc.).

So anyone with an advanced degree (a doctorate of some sort) is a "doctor." However, the more traditional view would be of just MD, DO, DVM, DP, and DDS since they can all prescribe drugs to a certain extent.

 

[gower]

Very simple: anyone who has earned a doctoral degree of any kind is entitled to be called "doctor."

If you mean to restrict the term to "medical doctors" then you have to include MD, DO, DDS/DMD, DVM, PodD, DC and now PharmD. To distinguish among them you use the terms "physician" (MD/DO); "dentist" (DDS/DMD); veterinarian (DVM); "podiatrist" (PodD); "chiropractor" (DC); and "pharmacist" (PharmD). There are also naturopaths who have doctoral degrees and practice naturopathic medicine.

The original meaning of Doctor is "teacher". If you were to strictly adhere to that definition you must exclude most of the above "doctors" except those who teach in professional schools.

I believe that most of you, at one time or another, called your professors "doctor."
The ones with a PhD are certainly entitled to that.

The problem of terminology arises only because in popular parlance "doctor" almost always refers to a medical doctor. Those on your way to becoming a medical doctor will learn to use precision in your terminology.

And of course, "teacher" has pride of place as the eldest, original meaning.

 

[drmoon]

Though I have a hard time acting civil towards Preludexl (but will if he/she apologizes for the overtly prejudiced view of podiatry), I will add my thoughts.

As far as I know, there are only 3 doctors of human medicine: Medical Doctor, Doctor of Osteopathy and Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. All of these doctors have the legal right to prescribe ANY kind of medication (they can prescribe any scheduled drug up to, but not including, drugs used in laboratory settings) and have the education and legal right to perform surgery and admit patients into hospitals. In my opinion, this is what separates a medical doctor from a pharmacist, homeopath, naturopath or any other PhD. Of course, vets can do the same, but only for non-humans.

I can tell you that in podiatry, our 1st two years essentially mimic the 1st two years of osteopathic and allopathic medicine. This has been proven in an article written by an MD by the name of Franklin Medio. But, after that, it's highly variable and we lack the overall exposure to clinical medicine that allopathic and osteopathic students enjoy. Herein lies the knock on podiatry. Personally, I feel jilted because of it and I'm currently pursuing my allopathic or osteopathic education. But we do suffer through residencies like MD's and DO's and end up doing "full scope" of practice on patients, though we're limited to pathology below the knee.

Hope that enlightens some.

 

[Mr. Eastern Medicine]

Guys, don't forget about OMD.
OMD = Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

But NCCAOM recently changed the title from OMD to DAOM. DAOM = Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

NCCAOM is the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

But you know, the title after your name ain't a thing for me personally. Intelligent patients will respect you not by your title, but by your skills and knowledge of medicine.

 

[preludexl]

moon, alright i apologize.

 

[preludexl]

moon, alright i apologize. although, the only person i would truly address as a doctor would be a DO or MD. i had trouble even addressing my professors as "doctor", preferring to "professor so and so". medicine stands firm on its own feet in my book.

 

[gasrx]

Who cares who is called "Doctor". Unless your the egocentric type and have to massage your own ego. In Europe medical doctors are refered as physician. Only those who teach and do research are refered to as doctors. Also the ability to prescribe does not make you a doctor. Too many health care professionals have the ability to prescribe now (some pharmacists, midwives, optometrists, np, pa).

 

[snowballz]

I'd listen to gower. I think his explanation is correct.

Alicia

 

[Andy Heeps]

For those "useless fact" buffs amongst you...

Back over here, in the old colonial motherland, degrees from the traditional universities (Oxford, Cambridge) were awarded in the usual way - BA (Bachelor of Arts), BSc (Bachelor of Science), MB (Bachelor of Medicine), ChB (Bachelor of Surgery) etc.

People who did normal, i.e. non-medical degrees used to spend three years doing their first degree (their undergraduate BA or BSc), then would spend three years studying for a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy; a good catch-all) which gave them the right to call themselves "Doctor", after six years total study.

Because medicine was a six-year course (back then), it was agreed by the powers that be that graduates with MB, ChB should be awarded honorary doctorates, because they have done the same time as their contemporaries who are awarded "real" doctorates. Hence, the non-medical doctors in th UK refer to themselves as "real" doctors, with the rest of us merely being "honorary" doctors.

However, the ordinary public came into contact with these medical 'honorary' doctors more than they did with 'real' doctors, and so associated doctors with medical care. This presumed sorted in the US with the creation of the MD (Doctor of Medicine), but now appears to have become blurred again!

To me, the title isn't important (I hope to lose it again quite quickly and become Mr Heeps!), except when making table reservations...

😀

 

[dksf]

gower and Heeps have the idea. Congratulations to preludexl for inciting so many people and for the humility it must take to display such ignorance! Not lack of intelligence, ignorance.