# "Doctor" of physical therapy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168 "2017-07-26T15:30:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/1 "2017-07-26T15:30:31Z")
A nephew recently completed a 3 year postgrad program in physical therapy, and passed his boards. My sister sent around a text saying they have a “doctor” in their family. I have no desire to take anything away from the young man’s accomplishments, but do you really consider a PT to be a “doctor”? I checked the [certifying association’s website](http://www.apta.org/For_Prospective_Students/PT_Education/Physical_Therapist_(PT)_Education_Overview.aspx), which confirmed that the initial postgrad degree is called a “Doctor of Physical Therapy”, rather than a Master’s. Impresses me as somewhat stretching the use of the term “doctor.” What do you think? My wife and I have JDs, but would never refer to ourselves as doctors. Maybe business schools need to redesignate what they now call MBAs… As far as I know, the PT program was 3 years, including clinical rotations. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/2 "2017-07-26T16:03:43Z")
I mean, MDs do three years of postgrad to get that title, right? So do dentists and vets and stuff, so why not. That said, I have no idea what etiquette dictates regarding addressing a person with a PT degree as “doctor” or not. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/3 "2017-07-26T16:15:33Z")
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acugXVkFDLI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acugXVkFDLI) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/4 "2017-07-26T16:42:31Z")
Isn’t it a doctorate, rather than a medical degree? I don’t know how things work in the US (in the UK, vets and dentists are not called Dr, for example), but anyone who has a PhD can use the title of Dr. So, for example, I have a friend who is a clinical psychologist with a PhD in a related field. Her title is Dr Name, but she is not a medical doctor and cannot prescribe medicines like a psychiatrist (who IS a medical doctor). Basically Dr doesn’t just mean ‘licensed to practice medicine’ ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/5 "2017-07-26T16:48:34Z")
On my physical therapist’s business card: Name, PT, DPT Physical Therapist Doctor of Physical Therapy ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/6 "2017-07-26T16:51:53Z")
You can get a doctorate in lots of things including nursing. A Dr. nurse is confusing but technically accurate. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/7 "2017-07-26T18:41:58Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > My wife and I have JDs, but would never refer to ourselves as doctors. Maybe business schools need to redesignate what they now call MBAs… They can’t- because there already is a DBA degree. It’s basically the equivalent of a Ph.D. in business administration. Many fields have specialized doctorates , and people holding those degrees are ofter referred to as “doctor”. Just off the top of my head, there’s nursing, education, physical therapy, social work, business administration, psychology ( some have Ph.D.s but there is also a Psy. D ) theology/divinity. Not to mention the Ph.D. holders who are referred to as “doctor” . It seems like the lawyers are the only ones who \*don’t \*call themselves doctors, But that may be at least in part because a JD is not the highest degree available in the legal field. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/8 "2017-07-26T18:42:06Z")
I guess I was thinking that MDs/DOs generally do 3 yrs postgrad PLUS residency. PhDs generally do up to 5-7 years, including a thesis. A 3 year postgrad impressed me as a heck of a lot closer to what I traditionally understood to be a Master’s degree. It seems as though the current trend is to “blur the line” between traditional “doctors”, and other providers: nurse practitioners, counselors, and the like. I acknowledge that the trend is to have such folk provide increasing amounts of healthcare, but I’m not sure it is desirable to refer to such persons as something they are not. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/9 "2017-07-26T18:46:11Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > It seems like the lawyers are the only ones who \*don’t \*call themselves doctors, But that may be at least in part because a JD is not the highest degree available in the legal field. But in this case, the doctorate is the FIRST postgrad degree available. If we continue your logic, maybe someone who gets a certification in some career which lacks any higher degree should be considered a doctor, even if it is want is currently considered a 2-yr Associate’s Degree! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/10 "2017-07-26T18:56:50Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > But in this case, the doctorate is the FIRST postgrad degree available. If we continue your logic, maybe someone who gets a certification in some career which lacks any higher degree should be considered a doctor, even if it is want is currently considered a 2-yr Associate’s Degree! 😉 I didn’t say lawyers \*shouldn’t \*call themselves doctor, just offering a possible reason why you _don’t_. 😉 > [@](#): > > It seems as though the current trend is to “blur the line” between traditional “doctors”, and other providers: nurse practitioners, counselors, and the like. It’s not all that recent, though- psychologists have been referred to as "doctor’ since at least the 70’s as have Ph.D. holders in academia. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/11 "2017-07-26T19:03:09Z")
There is a Naturopathic Doctor next door to a store that sells vitamins, ear candles, etc. He is “self taught”, no formal education. Heh. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/12 "2017-07-26T19:11:40Z")
A DPT is now the entry level degree for physical therapists, and it is indeed a doctorate. I know several DPTs, though, and none of them would ever refer to themselves as a doctor. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > My wife and I have JDs, but would never refer to ourselves as doctors… But that is not what happened. There is a world of difference between saying “please call me Dr. Jones” and a mom shouting “my son is a doctor!” > [@Dinsdale](#): > > I have no desire to take anything away from the young man’s accomplishments… Are you certain about this? 'cause your OP sorta reads like you do. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/13 "2017-07-26T19:30:38Z")
Well, what _I_ understand to be his accomplishments! 😉 He managed to get licensed into a profession which should provide him a decent standard of living. And he has what sounds like a great job. Good for him. No bones about it, I’m not a huge fan of much of what I see being sold under the guise of PT. Which might be reflected in my dubiousness of the profession awarding “doctorates” so (IMO) readily. It is not just the mom who declared him a doctor, the industry itself did. Now why might they wish to do that? :rolleyes: I just looked up Psy D; it seems to require 5-7 years. Again, considerably more than the 3 years an MBA or JD takes. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/14 "2017-07-26T20:31:58Z")
Except that you said “My wife and I have JDs, but would never refer to ourselves as doctors…” which implied that the young graduate is referring to himself as a doctor, which does not seem to be the case. (or maybe it is, but you did not state that) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/15 "2017-07-27T00:42:37Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I guess I was thinking that MDs/DOs generally do 3 yrs postgrad PLUS residency. I’m not sure there are any US medical schools left that turn out MDs or DOs in anything less than 4 years, not 3. There were a few places in the past that would accelerate the curriculum to accomplish it in 3 but I thought that had been phased out. And you’re right, once the degree is awarded, further training is necessary to get licensed. It now takes at least two years of residency training to get a license to practice in the vast majority of states. And while the typical residency runs for 3 years, some go on as long as 7. Then there’s the _Fellowships_, which can add more years to the training. ---
**Author:** ![SuperAbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@SuperAbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperAbe)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/16 "2017-07-27T01:28:05Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’m not sure there are any US medical schools left that turn out MDs or DOs in anything less than 4 years, not 3. There were a few places in the past that would accelerate the curriculum to accomplish it in 3 but I thought that had been phased out. I think there are actually several still around, some focusing on primary care (Texas Tech, UC-Davis?), some just accelerated (NYU, MCOW, Mercer). Most Med Schools I’ve had reason to hear about (about half-a-dozen) have been having at least semi-annual discussions about introducing a 3 year option under some circumstances: those 200k-plus loan packages don’t pay themselves back… ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/17 "2017-07-27T02:37:46Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > A nephew recently completed a 3 year postgrad program in physical therapy, and passed his boards. My sister sent around a text saying they have a “doctor” in their family. > > I have no desire to take anything away from the young man’s accomplishments, but do you really consider a PT to be a “doctor”? I checked the [certifying association’s website](http://www.apta.org/For_Prospective_Students/PT_Education/Physical_Therapist_(PT)_Education_Overview.aspx), which confirmed that the initial postgrad degree is called a “Doctor of Physical Therapy”, rather than a Master’s. Impresses me as somewhat stretching the use of the term “doctor.” What do you think? > > My wife and I have JDs, but would never refer to ourselves as doctors. Maybe business schools need to redesignate what they now call MBAs… > > As far as I know, the PT program was 3 years, including clinical rotations. I know dentists who don’t refer to themselves as doctors. “a qualified practitioner of medicine; a physician” is referred to as a doctor, as in saying “We have a doctor in the family”. Calling a PT a “doctor in the family” is totally inflating it. Because if that’s a “doctor” than anyone who a Doctorate in any field, Computer Science, Engineering, History, etc. would also be a “doctor in the family” and no one expects that. I do not a dentist, who’s wife refers to her husband as “being a doctor…” but he never says that. But she’s always trying to impress people, but I think it makes them look silly to refer to him as something he is not. Nothing wrong with being a dentist, but trying to make it sound like they are a medial doctor I think is lying. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/18 "2017-07-27T09:58:13Z")
No one has mentioned those who refer to themselves as Doctor of _Love_. Am I still OK doing that? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/19 "2017-07-27T10:19:58Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > (in the UK, vets and dentists are not called Dr, for example), I have a mate who’s a dentist and dentists in the U.K. are indeed called Doctor, but only while they’re practising. When he retires he’ll no longer be allowed to call himself Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168/20 "2017-07-27T12:50:14Z")
I’ve encountered folk with PhDs who have insisted on being called “Dr.” Such as one of my kids’ middle school teachers, who insisted on being called Dr. Smith instead of Ms. Always struck me as a little self-aggrandizing. Might be appropriate at a professional seminar… I guess my reaction reflected my perception that a 3 yr PT course of study was less than what I generally expect of a doctoral program. When my dtr’s BF completed his PhD in microbiology (7 yrs, considerable research, and a honking thesis), we jokingly but respectfully referred to him as Dr. Maybe when my dog completed obedience school, I should have designated him a doctor of dogginess! Or maybe all that is needed is a diploma designating one a Doctor of Thinkology! 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doctor-of-physical-therapy/792168.md?page=2)