Physiotherapists not doctors, can't use 'Dr' prefix: Government's health authority

The Directorate General of Health Services has asked for changes in the new physiotherapy curriculum to remove the use of the “Dr” prefix for physiotherapists, saying it could mislead and confuse patients.

In a letter to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the DGHS said several groups, including the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR), had raised objections to the provision in the Competency Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy, 2025.

The syllabus, issued in April this year, had suggested that physiotherapy graduates could use “Dr” before their name along with the suffix “PT”.

The DGHS noted that physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and should not present themselves as such. The DGHS is the primary regulatory body for healthcare and is attached to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“Physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and, therefore, should not use the prefix “Dr”, as it misleads patients and general public, potentially leading to quackery,” Dr Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services, mentioned in the letter.

The letter further added that physiotherapists should work on referral from doctors, not as primary care providers.

The ministry also pointed out that courts and medical councils have repeatedly ruled against the use of “Dr” by physiotherapists. Judgments from the Patna High Court (2003), Bengaluru court (2020), and Madras High Court (2022), as well as advisories from the Tamil Nadu Medical Council, have all made it clear that the prefix is reserved for registered medical practitioners.

The letter further warned that using the title without a recognised medical degree is a violation of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916, and could invite legal action.

The healthcare regulatory body has now directed that the syllabus be corrected immediately. It said a “more appropriate and respectful title” can be considered for physiotherapy graduates without creating confusion for the public.

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