Three NPs With Doctorates Sue to Use 'Doctor' Title
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COMMENTARY

Three NPs With Doctorates Sue to Use 'Doctor' Title; Ethicist Disagrees

Arthur L. Caplan, PhD

Disclosures

August 08, 2023

912

This transcript has been edited for clarity.

Hi. I'm Art Caplan. I'm at the Division of Medical Ethics at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. A lawsuit has been filed in California by three nurses. The nurses are arguing that because they have PhDs in clinically related fields of nursing and healthcare, they ought to be able to use the term "doctor" as a sign of respect for the work that they did to get a PhD.

That's no insignificant amount of work. I have a PhD in a different area, but I know the kind of labor that it takes to complete that kind of a degree. I have no doubt that there are many advanced skills associated with having a PhD in one of those nursing areas that benefit patients.

The nurses say that California law, which currently restricts the use of the term "doctor" to MDs or DOs, ought to be expanded to recognize their PhD work. I don't agree with this even though I certainly have nothing but respect for the work that nurses do, whether they have PhDs or not.

It seems to me that patients really come to hospitals, clinics, and healthcare settings distinguishing, if you will, between doctors (MDs and DOs) and nurses.

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