Physiotherapists clarify on use of ‘Dr.’ prefix

Nagaland Registered Physiotherapists (NRPs) have issued a statement setting the record straight on the controversy surrounding physiotherapists’ entitlement to use the prefix “Dr.”, following what it termed as “misleading and premature” media reports.
Reacting to several national media reports of September 9, which claimed physiotherapists in India were “not entitled” to use the prefix Dr. based on a Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) letter, NRPs said that the very next day, September 10, the DGHS under Prof. (Dr.) Sunita Sharma officially withdrew the letter. The withdrawal, they said, came after multiple representations pointed out its flaws and lack of consultation. Ignoring this development, NRPs maintained, had misinformed the public and “tarnished the reputation of the physiotherapy profession.”
It also clarified that the Indian Medical Association (IMA) was not a statutory body but only a registered association of doctors, and therefore “not a regulatory authority.” Stating that the IMA had no legal power over physiotherapists or their professional titles, the union maintained that its opinions, however strongly worded, “remain just that—opinions.”
The statement asserted that the only competent authority to regulate physiotherapy in India was the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), established under the NCAHP Act, 2021, which explicitly governs physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other allied health professionals.
On the entitlement to the “Dr.” prefix, NRPs explained that physiotherapists undergo five years of rigorous training (BPT) followed by postgraduate (MPT) and doctoral studies. Globally, physiotherapists with a professional doctorate (DPT/PhD) are recognized as Doctors of Physiotherapy. Under NCAHP framework, it said physiotherapists are independent healthcare professionals and the usage of “Dr.” with (PT)—for example, Dr. XYZ (PT)—is both appropriate and ethical, clearly distinguishing them from medical doctors.
The statement expressed disappointment over sections of the media for publishing “half-truths” without mentioning the DGHS withdrawal, thereby misinforming patients, undermining credibility of physiotherapists, and projecting IMA’s opinion as a legal directive.
Physiotherapists are not “quacks misusing a title” but qualified professionals, it stressed, working in hospitals, ICUs, neurological centres, sports medicine, and community health. “The prefix Dr. with (PT) is not a claim to practice medicine but a rightful representation of their doctorate-level education and expertise in physiotherapy,” the statement read.
The physiotherapists urged the media to act responsibly, acknowledge the facts, and correct the narrative. “Physiotherapists deserve respect, not defamation,” NRPs stated.
It said that physiotherapists were entitled to use “Dr.” with PT under NCAHP, and DGHS has already withdrawn its earlier objection and anything else is misinformation.