I am a nurse.
3 years in a NA program does NOT equal 4 years of medical school and 4 years of residency.
It is deceptive to call yourself “Doctor” to patients in a hospital, as it obviously implies you went to medical school.
If you want to be called Doctor go to med-school.
Comments for If you want to be called “Doctor” go to Medical School
Dec 15, 2014
Intro as Dr not deceptive NEW
by: Chris CRNA
I have been practicing anesthesia since 2004. I enjoy reading the arguments for and against CRNA’s pursuing more education beyond the masters level. My personal reasons for going back to school to obtain my doctorate are similar to the reason I chose to attend one of the highest rated anesthesia programs in the country. I want to be the best I can be. In my opinion having a doctorate in my field of study makes me an expert in that field. As an expert who put in the time to obtain this education, why have I not earned the right to introduce myself as DR to my patient? If done properly and acurately by saying my name is Dr. so&so I will be the nurse anesthetist doing your anesthesia today, how is that misrepresentation? It should convey to my patient they have two experts caring for them. An Anesthesiologist if that is your model and a CRNA. The only confusion is from MD’s trying to corner the market by saying they are the only ones that should be addressed in that fasion. It is up to us to educate our patients on why this is important for the future. The average cost of going back to school to get the DNAP is 30K. I assure you it would take more motivation for me to do it than to just have claim to the title. As CRNA’s we are not trying to misrepresent ourselves. We have a proud and noble profession with an incredible safety record. In my opinion we need to be experts in our field and have degrees that allow us to be on the forefront of dictating healthcare in the 21st century.
Dec 14, 2014
Why does it matter NEW
by: Jean321
I call my dentist, chiropracor, optometrist, the school psychologist and anyone with an earned Doctorate degree Dr…..
When I receive my DNP I do not expect to be called doctor but if someone did – oh well.
Oct 30, 2014
Medical Students are very egotistic. NEW
by: Richard Fofana (Nursing Student)
Why are Medical students so anal and egotistic about nurses that earned their Doctorate degree and the right to be called a Doctor? Do medical student actually know the definition of Doctorate? The terminology Doctorate defined by (Webster’s Dictionary)”The highest academic degree in any field of knowledge.” This whole argument and jealousy over nurses particularly CRNA comes from the State of California and Colorado ruling in favor of CRNA being allowed to administer anesthesia without the supervision of a physician. Click here for the full article http://www.thehealthlawfirm.com/blog/posts/two-recent-rulings-allow-certified-registered-nurse-anesthetists-crnas-to-administer-anesthesia-without-the-supervision-of-a-physician.html
Apr 10, 2014
If you want to call me Doctor, go right ahead NEW
by: Anonymous
I have a PhD and work in a medical setting. I never introduce myself to a patient as Dr, I think that would be confusing. It would not be inaccurate – I earned the title – but I cannot do things an MD can do and I don’t want anyone thinking I can. I’m not trained to do things nurses can do either and I don’t call myself a nurse.
If someone asks about my education I will tell them I have doctorate. They might call me Dr after that, that’s fine, but I often joke that I don’t go by Dr inside the hospital. I make a point to use my first name for introductions, and the few staff members who prefer to call me Dr out of respect call me Dr [FirstName]. Few know my last name, and no one uses it.
I’m proud of my doctorate and am not going to pretend I don’t have one, but I don’t “put it out there.”
May 04, 2013
Music NEW
by: Anonymous
There are doctorates in all fields, should a Doctor of musical composition introduce him/herself as a Doctor? In a medical provider/patient interaction implies physician medical degree MD or DO. For others to use this title is an attempt to deceive.
Aug 29, 2012
McDonalds NEW
by: Anonymous
They didn’t say you’d LEARN more at McDonalds. They said you’d EARN more at McDonalds.
I hope you aren’t a health professional at all, with no more attention to written data than that.
Aug 11, 2012
re RN versus Doctor NEW
by: etl
I think your comment about nurses seeking more education “just to be called Doctor” is insulting and ignorant. The time demands, financial demands, and willingness of anyone to accept greater responsibility for patient well being through advanced education/skills says a lot about the individual. Awarding an individual the title of Doctor simply recognizes the individual’s advanced education and acknowledges that individual as being the best in their field. DNAPs are no different. I think it boosts a patient’s confidence to know that “Dr Jones, the nurse anesthetist taking care of you today” is top in their chosen field. Why is it that you feel being a nurse precludes one from also being a Doctor? When you took English or History in college wasn’t you professor Doctor so and so? The title of Doctor acknowledged your professor’s level of knowledge about their subject.
Shame on you for being so small minded regarding your profession. Why shouldn’t nurses be acknowledged for their education like any other profession? The profession needs alot less nurses like you….i.e., individuals too afraid to own their own achievements, and too afraid they’ll threaten some MD’s ego. If you earn a Doctorate….claim it.
Apr 14, 2012
McD residency NEW
by: Anonymous
I can’t believe one of the CRNAs above equated residency to a job at McDonalds or actually that you learn more if you work at McDonalds. That statement alone shows that you have no concept of reality. Learn to be a professional before you try and claim to be.
Feb 06, 2012
Ever Notice NEW
by: Anonymous
Is it me or do you always find that nurses seem to be the most critical of us and our education?? Its almost like they’re angry about what they’ve not accomplished…. With that being said I do agree with a lot of these comments on here about what to call us when one gets their doctorate. I have both my DNP and PhD…all from well recognized schools (VCU and DUKE), and I still feel like it can be deceiving for patients to call myself “doctor.” I think there still needs to be a vast change in our healthcare system before we start doing that. And for the record of our math whizzes out there…..the average anesthetist going for their DNP or PhD will give you the same, if not more years of training that MDs.
Feb 13, 2011
Try that calculation out one more time
by: All-CRNA-Schools-Joy
CRNA with a Doctor of Nursing Practice:
4 years BS
3 years TOTAL for DNP (2 years minimum for MS, 1 year minimum for DNP)
=7 years
ICU experience, though mandatory, provides you with full time pay and complete autonomy and is therefore not part of the equation.
Medical Doctor:
4 years BS
4 years Medical School (you’re still paying to learn)
3-4 years residency – you work 60-100 hours a week for a small salary. You’d earn more per hour working at McDonalds.
=11-12 years
Feb 12, 2011
Do the Math
by: Anonymous
Do the math. BSN, 4 years (at least), Mandatory ICU experience, 2 years. Masters, 3 years, Doctorate, 2-3 years. Total; 11-12 years, more than an MD.
Dec 21, 2010
also..
by: Anonymous
nice way of expressing yourself professionally by using the “b” word, I believe you have just proven my point
Dec 21, 2010
what??
by: Anonymous
It is NEVER acceptable to say to a pt “I am Dr. So and So and I will be doing your anesthesia today” as a CRNA paired with a real medical doctor, that’s absurd. It is very deceptive to the patients, and one instructor that I observed at FHCHS did such a thing and the pt and family were furious, and this became a very big issue. So it is always important to be upfront and clear with peers and patients, and YES there are doctors of philosophy, pharmacy etc out there but I certainly don’t trust them to do my anesthesia, good for you if you do.
Dec 20, 2010
I CAN BE CALLED A DOCTOR WITHOUT GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL
by: Anonymous
YOU CAN EARN THE RIGHTS TO BE CALLED A DOCTOR WITHOUT GOING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. THEY ARE DOCTOR OF PHARMACY, DOCTOR OF PHYLOSOPHY, MEDICAL DOCTOR, DOCTOR OF PODIATRY, DOCTOR OF DENTAL MEDICINE, DOCTOR OF NURSING, DOCTOR OF WHATEVER….THE TERM DOCTOR EXISTED WAY BEFORE THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS MEDICAL DOCTOR. YOU ARE NOT A NURSE. YOU ARE MEDICAL STUDENT WANNA BE AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. GOING AROUND MASQUERADING AS MEDICAL DOCTOR WITH A PhD IS DECEPTIVE, HAVING SAID THAT, PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EARN THE TITLE DOCTOR OF WHATEVER THEY WERE AWARDED. ALWAYS REMEMBER THEY ARE MEDIOCRE MDs AROUND AND THEY GENIUSES AROUND THAT CHOSE NOT TO GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. THE EQUIPMENTS USED BY MDs TO HELP THEM PRACTICE ARE EGINEERED BY NON-MDs, THE COMPUTER YOU ARE USING TO READ THIS PIECE WAS NOT DESIGNED BY A MD, THESE ARE VERY SMART PEOPLE THAT DESIGNED BRIDGES, THE ROAD SYSTEM, THAT FOUND ELECTRICITY AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE CALLED DOCTORS PARTNER. IGNORANT, LOW SELF ESTEEM B****