Health Ministry orders removal of ‘Dr’ prefix for physiotherapists to avoid misleading patients

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has directed the removal of the “Dr” prefix for physiotherapists in the newly issued physiotherapy curriculum, stating that its usage could mislead patients and cause confusion about their role in healthcare.

In a formal letter to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the DGHS highlighted objections raised by professional bodies, including the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (IAPMR), against a provision in the Competency-Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy, 2025. The curriculum, released in April this year, had suggested allowing physiotherapy graduates to use “Dr” before their names, followed by the suffix “PT.”

DGHS Director General Dr. Sunita Sharma clarified that physiotherapists, though vital to patient care, are not trained as medical doctors and therefore must not present themselves as such. “Physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and, therefore, should not use the prefix ‘Dr,’ as it misleads patients and the general public, potentially leading to quackery,” the letter stated.

The ministry further emphasized that physiotherapists should function on referrals from licensed medical practitioners rather than acting as primary care providers. It also reminded stakeholders that multiple judicial rulings—including those from the Patna High Court (2003), a Bengaluru court (2020), and the Madras High Court (2022)—along with advisories from the Tamil Nadu Medical Council, have upheld that the “Dr” title is reserved exclusively for registered medical practitioners.

The DGHS also cautioned that unauthorized use of the prefix without a recognized medical degree is a violation of the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916, and may attract legal consequences.

The healthcare regulator has now instructed immediate corrections to the curriculum, suggesting that “a more appropriate and respectful title” for physiotherapy graduates may be considered—one that recognizes their contribution without creating ambiguity for the public.