Reply To: “The Controversy of the DOCTOR Title”

[Lisa]

Hi Susan! I appreciate the fact that you brought up this topic to discuss on this forum. I think it is so crucial for us to be able to openly talk about this. Personally, I believe that anyone who has put in the work to achieve and the honor of receiving an earned doctorate degree should have the right to be called “Dr.” whether it be in medicine, anthropology, computer science, etc. However, in the healthcare field, it should also come with the clarification of the role of that specific “Dr.”, or healthcare provider. Upon reading the article, I do find it wrong that the DNP in question had utilized the title of “Dr.” and implied that she was a medical doctor, rather than a Nurse Practitioner with her Doctorate’s degree. Although medical doctors may be against it since DNP graduates are encroaching on their territory of being able to be called “Dr.”, I think they should recognize that DNP graduates play a vital role in the evolving healthcare system we find ourselves in. DNPs should be legally allowed to use that title, although I will admit that we should provide that necessary clarification.