The physician dilution continues:
Physician is a term reserved for a degree of medicine – either MD or DO. It is not justifiable to assume that someone who works woo and has received a “doctorate of woo” should be able to refer to themselves as physicians. A doctor is anyone who receives a doctoral degree.
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{ 12 comments }
This is a problem. And the interesting thing is that many believe in chiropractors more than their primary care docs.
I went to a nutritional workshop conducted by a chiropractor. Would you believe he went as far as using a Litmann Electronic stethoscope (Model 4000)to listen to the attendees’ hearts and making diagnoses? His objective, of course, was not to “play” medical doctor but to persuade the attendees in that workshop that they were deficient in certain vitamins and that they needed to buy his vitamins. He was quite convincing to unknowing victims because when he printed personalized heart charts using Litmann’s 1.0 version software, he explained to them in detail that if the pattern of their charts came out jumpy like this, they were deficient in this, etc. I wanted to ask how accurate was the 1.0 version software but chose not to.
BTW, a psychiatrist is awarded a MD degree as well. And there is one famous psychiatrist who is playing “medical doctor”. I think you know his name.
My favorite is the new PhD in Nursing Degree, essentially creating Doctor Nurse. Face it, physicians would get better protection under the Endangered Species Act.
This is old hat. During the 1700-hundreds all sorts of callings and vocations tried to muscle in on the physician; – in Europe barbers, bathhouse attendants and executioners all tried to be recognized as surgeons, and often they were, even by royal decree. This was much to the chagrin of the University educated physicians, especially as the barber-executioner-surgeons notoriously tried to expand their field by applying poultices and enemas, thus acting more or less as physicians. In the end, the University educated physicians won the game by having the government licencing them and only them, thus effectively creating a monopoly.
Now the trend is reversing in one of the many peculiar twists of human development. I fail to see the great danger to the public in this – humanity survived the 18th century, we will no doubt survive this as well with chiropractors, homeopaths and other quacks trying to bleed the gullible public of their money.
The problem isn’t quacks living off that peculiar sort of person who always thinks there must be something special in being against the mainstream, and therefore knows full well that they are seeking the decidedly undertrained or kooky theory jockey.
The problem is when those in that business then branch out from just presenting an alternative to physicians services to confusing the public into thinking that they are just another specialty of medicine-that they are physicians.
“Doctor” is ubiquitous (BTW, MSN reported that over 50% of PhD’s in the US are fake diploma mill degrees)—I think what we need to vigorously defend is the term physician, which is a specific healing tradition defined by the Hippocratic oath and the clinical-empirical (rather than crackpot theory( approach to disease. One key element of the ethical tradition is the commitment to attaining the highest possible level of competence in our art and confining ourselves to that area of competence–which is why lessor trained practioners who are still science based (NP’s, psychologists, etc) are not and will never be a part of our profession.
We must be equally vigorous in defending our profession from rot from within by those who wear the label with the proper credentials but do not adhere to the ethics that define it.
How about a class action suit against all “chiropractic physicians”? Any patient who had been fooled could sign up. File it under deceptive marketing practices. Of course, we would have to strictly define the term physician. Any attorneys out there? Could be huge.
I know we have bigger battles but couldn’t teh AMA or state medical societies pickup this issue. I agree – I’m a new physician in a small town and everybondy is being duped by these “wellness centers” and so called “doctors”. Only MD, DO, and Phd should be called doctor. I even get upset when they call my NPs or the optomitrist a doctor. It’s diluting our reputation, hence our social and moral standing.
In the 20+ years I’ve been practicing, I’ve gone from Physician, to Doc to Provider. It is much the same when one wishes to dehumanize a warring opponent. In order to kill them, you first need to make them less valuable and less human. For example, German to Nazi to Kraut, Vietnamese to VC to Charlie to Gook.
If you think devaluing the medical profession is accidental, you are wrong. We now have Rug Doctor, Dirt Doctor, Window Doctor, House Doctor, Lawn Doctor. Everybody wants to trade on the name of “doctor” but nobody wants to put in the work and responsibility of actually being one.
First you devalue us, then you kill us off. In case you hadn’t noticed, the killing has already started. Justification will be that we are responsible for the health care crisis.
Some dentists are also, now caling themselves “physician”.
You’ll never get anywhere legislating the title “doctor”. Properly speaking anyone who has any sort of doctorate degree can properly use the title socially, even it is a diploma mill degree. The problem comes when people who are not physicians, but rather members of another medical profession (or rather “profession” in the case of bone crackers) mislead people in thinking they are physicians. Optometrists are doctors, they are not physicians. Psychologists are doctors, they are not physicians. etc. We aren’t going to make ground fighting the wrong battle. In core healthcare institutions, such as hospitals full of ill people with limited awareness, it is proper to have rules that prevent people from using perfectly legal language that may confuses patients.
In society at large however, people just need to be educated that they need to beware, and that what is synonymous with what the public has traditionally referred to as “real doctors” is “physician” and then defend that term against all encroachment by whatever means are necessary, including direct public confrontation.
What is so Funny about all of these comments is that no one writting these knows what the word doctor really means. Look it up! Check out the root meaning. If you do you will see that it means “Teacher”. The problem isn’t chiropractors or dentists or whatever……it is terrible doctors in that specific field. They are no longer teachers. They are pill givers. Its much easier to perscribe a pill than it is to educate the patient. We are in a feel better quick nation. I don’t want to stop eating pizza ,hot dogs and chips, So give me my Prilosec Dr. I want to continue living my life the way I have been which put me in this situation to begin with. Lets not play stupid here people. Do meds really take care of the problem, or are we treating symptoms? Does Ibuprfen get rid of headaches? Yes. Does it get rid of the reason you got the headache? No. Does Prilosec get rid of acid reflux? Yes. Does it get rid of the reason you have acid reflux? No. One of the Doctors in an earlier statement in this blog stated that all the doctors out there who aren’t “really Doctors”, were ruining his social reputation……Oh what a poor baby. Who cares about your social reputation. Most of the MD’s out there anyway are just pill pushers…..glorified drug dealers. I fugure that this is Ok to say in broad statements because it is with this lack of respect you so easily downgrade other DOCTORS, who aren’t MD’s. So I will just assume you are like the 2-3 MD’s I’ve been to. Seems fair doesn’t it? I think that the people in these blogs should check out the class load, credits, and time it takes to get there degree as a DOCTOR in any of the above mentioned professions, and they will see that they are equal and alot of the times in certain areas of study more qualified. I would like to see an MD keep up with any chiropractor when it comes to anatomy and physiology of the spine or extremities for that matter. Do you know that in the state I live in I have to pay a Specialist Co-pay to see my Chiropractor? I only have to pay $10 to see my GP, but I have to pay More to see my specialist the CHIROPRACTOR. Must be he is a better doctor seeing as he is a SPECIALIST. I mean letas look up the meaning of specialist…..much more impressive than “General Practioner”..I mean MD’s only treat “General” problems. Get an education, better yet get educated on the facts instead of making un-educated comments because you pissed off at how its going to effect you social standing
Thank you! Well put. It’s true. Medical education hours are almost as long as chiropractic education hours, with chiropractic edging out medical education by 500 hours. I went to Life Chiropractic College, with its 5200 hours of primary and adjusting technique care being the longest doctorate in the world. According to the U.S. Dept. of Health And Human Resources, recognizes chiropractics heftier education. Medical doctors (MD) have a lot to worry about outside the emergency room and trauma centers. Not only do 300,000 americans die each year from prescription medications (alone), people are flocking to doctors of chiropractic (DC).
Why are the “People” adapting to chiropractic (70,000+ DC’s in U.S.) and ignoring medical doctor care?
Simple! Chiropractic is “Real”, meaning: addressing the “Crux”, not the symptoms of “Dis-ease”.
Chiropractic enlightens those it serves in understanding their present unhealthy lifestyles and how it impedes their health. Teaching (doctor: latin;teacher) a preventative, wellness lifestyle.
Chiropractic doctors regularly refer to medical doctors when a person has run themselves down to the point where crisis care is required. Medical doctors rarely refer to chiropractic doctors. Everyone requires chiropractic care! The medical profession recognizes intervention (reactive) care not prevention(proactive)care. Clear the path of nervous system. Advise a healthy preventative lifestyle!
Chiropractic doctors do not put themselves on pedlstles preaching to subjugate. The people are tired of this medical act; demoralize those in need then submit to symptom supression whilst toxifying (side effect = adverse reaction).
For the majority of patient visits: Chiropractic first, medicine second, surgery last!
Life University School For Chiropractic Marietta, GA. Graduate 1990. Worlds largest shool for chiropractic. Compared to and thought to exceed Harvard School Of Medicine in quality of education and curriculum (Life: 5200 hours vs Harvard 4300 hours). Both schools have very similar curriculum, with Life exceeding in most basic sciences, pathology, and differential diagnosis.
SG, D.C.
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