MD vs. Dr.

Has the term Doctor become too generic? Having worked in several health care facilities, I have noticed more doctors are identifying themselves as MD’s on their documentation and even how they are identified by the hospital or clinic.

Here is what I’m thinking. When I was a kid and went to the doctor, it meant sticking my tongue out and saying "Ahh". Followed by some booster shot or needle for whatever was going around. I did not think of the doctor as anything other than medical in nature. Now every time you turn on the news or some talk show there is a doctor of something.

True that anyone with a PhD can call himself or herself a doctor, and I do not take anything away from that accomplishment, because they worked damn hard to get it. However, I don’t associate the PhD doctors of botany, astrophysics, zoology and business with the term doctor I grew up with and recognize.

Yes, maybe Dr. Seuss confused me as a little kid, and I still don't know who he is, but it seems different in how the word doctor is used today. Besides those with a PhD being able to call themselves doctor, in 5 minutes I could think of Dr. Dre, Dr. Oz, Dr. Drew, Dr. Laura, Dr. Phil, Dr. Scholl’s, Dr. Pepper, Dr. Dolittle and the Rug Doctor. Isn’t Dr. Oz the only real medical doctor in this bunch?

Along with that Nurse Practitioners will have to have a PhD starting in 2015. I think I will be happy to just be an NP, even if I get a PhD.