Don’t be surprised if during your next visit to your physician’s office, your nurse introduces herself as “Dr.” and then clarifies that she’s your nurse. That’s precisely what some patients are hearing during visits to the physician’s office. This is because there is a new trend across the nation: doctorates in health professions. Now there is not only a struggle over who gets to use the title of ‘doctor,’ but the power, stature, and, of course, the money that travels with the title.

Physicians are wrestling to keep their title sacred as they watch nurses, pharmacists, and even physical therapists waltz in with their own doctorate degree. While gaining the extra degree can lead to administrative positions, and raise status and respect, one thing these news doctorates are not doing is raising fees from insurance. And in some states, even with a doctorate nurses can’t prescribe medication.

But nurses explain that for them the doctorate isn’t about gaining more salary, sovereignty, or the ability to write prescriptions—although that is exactly what doctors fear this push is about.

In fact, the board chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Dr. Roland Goertz, explains that doctors are worried about losing control over their titles because it has identified them for centuries. To doctors, a loss of the title is only the first step to losing control over the profession. Plus, he explains that the roles of health professionals could become very confusing for patients.

As a result, doctors are using their legislative lobbyist muscle to propose a bill in New York to keep nurses from advertising as doctors. Similar laws are already in effect in other states.

The bigger battle centers on who gets first dibs on patients. Doctors are accustomed to nurses playing a secondary role—along with pharmacists and physical therapists. And despite the fact that teamwork is new normal in health care, most doctors are not keen on the idea of not leading the team.

Thus, the battle over the title of ‘doctor’ is more symbolic than most laypersons may realize.

Doctors must spend twelve to sixteen years of college and graduate training to earn their title. When you compare that to the six to eight years required of physical therapists, nurses, and pharmacists for the same title, it is easy to see where the conflict begins. But pharmacists have needed a doctorate to practice since 2004, which was a huge jump from just the bachelor’s degree needed before. By 2015, physical therapists will need one also, and so will nurse practitioners. Some feel this push to require doctorates of those who enter the field is in part in the hopes that they can treat patients themselves and get more of the patient care pot.

Many in the field of nursing ask, “Why mess with things?” And some economists in the field point out that this push to mandate students getting more education before they can enter the field will do more harm than good. They worry that this increase will in turn mean increased costs and waits for patients, as fewer students pursue the field. And many point out that there is no research proving that additional training and degrees for nurses impacts the quality of patient care.

But others swear that the push in nursing isn’t about that at all. The dean of the University of Michigan School of Nursing, Dr. Kathleen Potempa, says it is all about remaining current and improving curriculum.

This blog post is a brief summary of the New York Times article titled When the Nurse Wants to Be Called ‘Doctor’.  Check it out for more great information.

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