Why I Introduce Myself as Heidi, Doctor of Physical Therapy

A really hot topic in today's field continues to be the use of "doctor" as a descriptor for those of us that hold a DPT degree. Two clearly divided camps exist between its use or non-use within our field. While I used to be in the camp that was vehement about not using it, I slowly transitioned into using it in my introductions and have seen some unexpected results. Here, I will share my experiences as I transitioned from a non-user to a user with this simple word and how it has changed my clinical practice.

At first, I was set against calling myself "doctor" as I felt that it was too confusing for most of my patients. I didn't want to be looped in with medical doctors and cause any unneeded confusion among the general public. However, as I started my clinical practice, I began to use my DPT degree more as a "get out of jail free" card when I met a barrier to providing patient care. When I met a new prosthetist that didn't take me seriously and condescendingly called me "hun" and "sweets" throughout our time together with a patient, I corrected his tone by stating that the only endearment he was allowed was "Doctor Heidi." Our relationship improved immediately. When physicians try to talk me into documenting that certain patients are safe to use a specific assertive device (when they are not), I remind them that as a Doctor of Physical Therapy I receive ample education into the fitting and appropriateness of device prescription. The disagreement comes to an end. When a patient asks me when I am going to go back to school and get my nursing degree, I explain my schooling and degree a little more in depth. Now on this last instance, I started to notice a shift in how my patients viewed physical therapy, and this is where I started to have my transformation, too.

I decided for 2 weeks to introduce myself to every new patient as a "doctor of physical therapy" to see what the difference was in our interactions. As this was obviously not an IRB approved experiment, I have no data to back up my claims other than that of the anecdotal kind. Nevertheless, what I witnessed was incredible.

The most importance difference I witnessed was the buy-in patients had in their care. Not only were they more compliant with precautions, attending sessions (patient still have a right to refuse treatment, even in the inpatient setting with a 3 hour compliance rule), as well as adhering to the home exercise program, but they were prouder to be working with me. A few of my co-workers don't hold the same credentials and while a degree does not a clinician make, it sure made one hell of a difference to my patients.

What I most feared what that patients would confused me with their attending medical doctor (I work in an inpatient rehab setting). However, before I could give my explanation of the difference between the two, patients were already asking questions. The first one usually being how many years of college it took, followed by "similar to a medical doctor" after I explained the process. I feared my patients wouldn't know the difference between an MD and a DPT, but I underestimated them. Even though I work with older adults primarily in this setting, because they are familiar with the health care system, they already had at least the scaffolding for the framework of the difference.

Another difference was the pride that was displayed by patients as they described to their families that they were being treated by a doctor of physical therapy. Occupational therapy and speech therapy soon were discarded, even though they were just as essential in these cases to the patient's progression and return to their prior level of function.

Seeing as we are not the only field that is taking on the title of "doctor" (pharmacy, dentistry, etc), it seems that patients are becoming more familiar with the idea of the title demonstrating a level of education, not necessarily a vocation.

Attitude is everything and the more pride you can instill in your patients, the more of a positive influence you can have in their care as an adjust to your clinical skills.

Now to be perfectly transparent, there are other similar aspects about our appropriation of medical culture that I do not agree with. Namely, I see the white coat ceremony as pretty useless. As a disclaimer, I don't feel that the culture of the medical doctor is one that we should strive to completely replicate or replace, but I do feel that through careful consideration and debate, there are parts of it that are helpful is progressing our field to be come competitive in this evolving healthcare environment.