War of the Pseudo Drs

There was a report in the papers about an ongoing war between the physio ‘doctors’, the medical ‘doctors’ and the government.
Apparently the physiotherapists have been riding high on the prefix ‘Dr’ and it mattered not in the least to them if the rest of the world accepted it or not.

This, of course has peeved the medical ‘doctors’-- the supreme sovereign in the realm of health.

The government backs the latter with the contention that the physios’ claim to the prefix would confuse the public as to who the real doctors are!!

But I say, hold your horses people,…… and take a minute to observe the pathos. Would it be a trifle too much if I point out that the ‘real’ doctors have been taken out of the equation?

In those ancient days the word ‘doctor’ was a reference to a very learned person who was held in high esteem for his knowledge. So we deduce that a man who burned a lot of midnight oil striving to understand, evaluate and analyse, in order to gain knowledge, was the original assignee for the word ‘doctor’.

The present day claimants ---such as the medical, ayurvedic, homeo, aroma, physio, energy, pranic ( have I left out any?)--- have plenty to prove before using the word !!

Some spend 4 and a half to 5 years, after school, to learn a trade and stake a claim on the prefix ‘dr’!! Some unabashedly claim after a mere 2-6 months diploma !

Common sense demands that the term doctor be best left to those ‘silent sufferers’ –the original doctors –the ones with a doctorate. What say you, folks? Simple logic, isn’t it?

The rest may best be referred by their trade name – physicians, medical practitioners or medical consultants or more specifically cardiologists, urologists, neonatologists ……and the rest as dentists, pathologists, physiotherapists, aroma therapists, ayur physicians, pranic or energy healers and so on and on…

One can never forget the way in which the simple white lab coat, that once signified perseverance and hardwork, has been reduced to a symbol of false prestige and inflated pride to be flaunted by all and sundry . Today the fact that the driver, the cook and the bakery man wears a white coat has helped to demystify it… a bit!

Please leave the prefix ‘Dr’ to the ones to whom it originally belongs . (Here I do not include the honorary types, heavily favored by favoritism, or, the ones who have acquired a degree through questionable means).

Otherwise we will have the charlatans and the quacks misusing the word and disrobing its glory.

Now we do not want that ….do we?