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In California, a judge has ruled that nurses, nurse practitioners, and other clinical professionals with doctorate degrees cannot refer to themselves as “doctors.” Only physicians and surgeons can use the word “doctor” or the title “Dr.” before their names. The American Medical Association and other professional organizations have long held that only those with MD or DO credentials should be labeled as “doctors” to avoid confusion or misperception by patients.
Who are you? This highly contentious issue bubbles up now and then. “On average, 84% of urgent care visits are seen by a nurse practitioner or physician assistant,” said Alan Ayers, President of Urgent Care Consultants and Senior Editor of The Journal of Urgent Care Medicine. “Anyone working in urgent care knows how common it is for patients to refer to an NP or PA as ‘doctor’ and a Medical Assistant as ‘nurse’ for that matter.” Georgia passed a law that took effect in July 2023 that requires nonphysicians who hold doctorates and use “Dr.” or “doctor” in clinical settings to clearly state that they are not physicians. Otherwise using the title without clarification can lead to disciplinary action. At least 2 other states are considering legislation on the issue.