‘Doctor’ is an academic degree awarded by a university or an institution, which is used to refer to a person with a doctorate. To obtain the degree, people need to pass a special exam to be called a doctorate or by writing a thesis. A doctorate is usually regarded as a higher degree above a bachelor degree. People who have a doctorate degree may use the title doctor, though in practice it is often and most commonly used by medical doctors. Medical doctors examine, diagnose and treat patients. The word doctor in modern English is most often used to refer to a person who knows the healing art and who is trained and licensed to use the art of healing.
The word doctorcomes from the Latin word for “teacher,” itself from docēre, meaning “to teach”. Only university professors with a doctoral degree, normally teach at university. By the 14th century, the word doctor was being applied not just to a select few theologians but also to qualified and/or accomplished academics and medical practitioners. Historically speaking, eminent scholars whose name had the prefix doctor were usually accorded a lot of respect. Because of that most of the people who are involved or working in medical care are known to use prefix doctor in their name.Everybody desires to gain respect and prestige which is usually earned by the virtues of hard work, sincerity, loyalty, honesty, compassion, care, selflessness and aesthetic sensitivity. Currently, many other people in the society are interested in gaining respect and prestige which the dedicated doctors have earned by being in this profession but these other people who had not been able to become doctors by qualification due to lack of merit and money use the title “doctor” before their name to earn the same social privileges.
The authors have seen the abuse of the prefix doctor by many paramedics. There is rampant demand for the doctor prefix among the paramedics like physiotherapist, lab technician and many other medical technicians who are working in big hospitals. Now the practice of abuse of the doctor title is so rampant in our society that not only paramedics but even the ward boys and ward ayas are using the title before their name after gaining some superfluous medical knowledge by the means of observation.
The other problem of prefixing doctor is not limited to the name but now it has become a common practice to use doctor stickers in front and back of vehicles to gain the same advantage while travelling on the roads as well.
Unfortunately, there is an uncontrolled rampant use of this prefix in the society, any person who is having little knowledge of medicine and even dispensing any medicine in the rural and remote areas is using the prefix doctor. India has millions of uneducated poor who cannot differentiate between a qualified medical doctor and the unqualified doctors because of their ignorance and poor education. Now the unqualified people who are abusing the prefix doctor give the general perception to the public that they are medical doctors and in due course of time the public continues to call them doctors even though they know that they are not qualified doctors because they are the only available skilled person in the remote areas.
Considering the non-availability of uniform and universal health care services everywhere in the country, the people prefer to take any care which is available in their vicinity irrespective of the quality of care particularly in emergency cases.
Many people know that behaviour, knowledge and skill are the key to success and the unqualified people who are practicing and prefixing the title doctor, know that they lack the required qualifications, knowledge and skill but they give a lot of importance to develop and practice good behaviour, knowing very well that behaviour precedes anyone in exhibiting their knowledge and skill. Earlier, the Medical Council of India and Indian Medical Association demanded that the prefix doctor be restricted to only allopathic practitioners but according to new amendment all practitioners of the modern medicine, Indian system of medicine – Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine Surgery (BAMS), Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS), Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS),Bachelor of Siddha Medicine and Surgery (BSMS), Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences (BNYS) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) who are recognised by the central government of India, can use the prefix doctor in the country. Anyone, who has a doctorate in any field can also legally use the doctor prefix, in addition to the honourary doctorate degree usually DLitt, DSc and DPhil conferred by any university.
One would like to cite a story told by one of the professors of an esteemed university in the USA where one was invited to deliver a lecture. In fact, the host professor who sent the invitation to deliver a lecture asked whether I was a doctor (Dr) or a mister (Mr). I told him that I am a doctor and he again asked me whether I was a professor.Then I said, “Of course, I am not only a professor of orthopaedic surgery but also the chairman of the department.” Then he replied “You cannot be a doctor”. Then he politely explained to me that you are no more a doctor but you are a mister.
He narrated the story of misters in the middle ages. In case a cut/incision had to be made in the body, if needed, a barber was called to do the same after which they used to complete the surgical procedure. In those days only the barber used to have sharp tools like scissors and knife.In addition to the tools, they had some knowledge and skill in where to cut and not to cut. Male surgeons are always addressed as Mr in the United Kingdom because physicians were by definition doctors who possessed a university medical degree (MD) while surgeons seldom had any formal qualification before 1800. The growth of voluntary hospitals in 18th century brought high status to surgeons and surgeons became so proud to be distinguished from physicians that the title of Mr became a badge of honour. That’s why there is still a practice in England to address senior professors and surgeons as mister followed by his name. And these practices are still going on and they don’t intend to change it because English people feel pride in carrying their older tradition.
The National Medical Commission (NMC), in its code of conduct has introduced a major change, proposing the use of “Med Dr” as a prefix for those registered under the NMC Act, 2019 as practitioners of modern medicine. The draft regulations also propose allowing medical practitioners to refuse treatment in case of abusive and violent patients and/or relatives. The draft regulations have been put in the public domain by the NMC ethics and medical registration board (EMRB), inviting comments from the stakeholders by June 22, 2022. Only those RMPs who are registered under the NMC Act 2019 can use medical doctor as a prefix before their names. Every self-employed RMP must self-display the unique registration ID assigned to him or her by the EMRB in his or her prescription, certificate and money receipt given to the patients.
As we all know that MD is usually a degree conferred to non-surgical branches in Allopathic Medicine. So this is bound to create more confusion among the ignorant and illiterate as they have to choose who is the real doctor going to cure him or her.
(Padma Shri recipient Dr BKS Sanjay is a senior orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Gaurav Sanjay is an orthopaedic surgeon. Views expressed are personal)
