Is Physiotherapist just a technician and not a doctor?

Answer 1

A Physiotherapist is a technician and not a doctor. Who has completed a two years diploma course or a four years decree. No medication can be prescribed by the Physiotherapist.

Physiotherapists' use of the title 'Doctor' was clearly a "legal malpractice and is aimed at creating confusion among the general public", "Physiotherapists are also one of the para-medical personnel who work with medical specialties including orthopaedics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology and paediatrics. The World Health Organisation in its 2000 report on 'Allied Health (paramedical) Services and Education Report' and in 2003 on 'Health Care Systems in Transition' listed physiotherapists with other para-medical personnel."

A Physiotherapist affixing Dr. or Doctor with his name is a Quack and can be sued in the Court of Law. Physiotherapists are not doctors and therefore should not be allowed to prefix "Doctor" in front of their name. This is the stern warning issued by the Medical Council of India, the statutory body regulating medical colleges, affiliations, new colleges and doctors registration, after it received representations from several quarters complaining that the rule was being flouted by almost 90 per cent of the

physiotherapists working in the capital of India.

Physiotherapists cannot affix "Dr." with their name as they are technicians who follow prescription of doctors and no medication can be prescribed by them.

As per the Medical Council of India (MCI)'s stand and as per the Judgments delivered by the Courts in this regard, the Physiotherapist cannot and should not affix "Dr." With their name and if they violate this they can be punished accordingly. In defamation suit filed against a doctor by a Physiotherapist the Court has clearly mentioned that Physiotherapists are technicians who are to follow prescriptions of doctors and no medication can be prescribed by the physiotherapist. Physiotherapy is not a medical qualification. As per the Supreme Court's Judgment passed on medical practice in India, it says that only a registered practitioner in state medical register (MCI) can practice modern system of medicine including prescription of drugs, diagnosis, blood and X-Ray investigations.

If Physiotherapists are allowed to affix "Dr." with their name then other paramedics like clinical psychologists, speech therapists, audiologists, orthotics and prosthetics shall have equal rights to affix "Dr." with their name. A Physiotherapist cannot be at par with a doctor having MBBS qualification. It is well known fact that most of the medical specialties have paramedical technical staff to assist in the health care delivery like nurses, radiographers, medical lab technicians and so on, physiotherapists are also one of the paramedical personnel who work with medical specialties like orthopaedics, physical medicine & rehabilitation, neurology, paediatrics so on.