Is a physiotherapist a doctor? Get your questions answered now!

The question of whether a physiotherapist has a doctorate is one of the biggest controversies in the professional market.

Doctor by authorization vs. doctor with doctorate

Who has never heard a discussion about the controversy surrounding the title of doctor?

In general, this type of discussion starts whenever a professional uses the title of doctor, and the question of whether a physiotherapist has a doctorate is one of the most common.

On one side, we have those who defend the idea that some professions can receive the title.

In general, these professions are lawyers, doctors, physiotherapists and dentists.

But, on the other hand, we have those who say that to be a doctor, you need to complete a doctorate.

And, in more extreme opinions, we even have some who argue that only certain professions, such as doctors and lawyers, have the right to the title.

But, after all, who is right in this story?

To answer this, we must first understand the difference between a doctorate by way of doctorate and a doctorate by authorization of use.

When we talk about the title of doctor, we are certainly referring to those who have completed the doctoral training stage.

After graduating with a doctorate, the professional automatically becomes a doctor in his/her field and can therefore use the title.

When it comes to the use of the title by authorization, we refer to professions for which their respective councils authorize its use.

A classic example of this situation is medicine, which uses the title by authorization, even if the professional does not have a doctorate.

The same occurs with lawyers, who received this authorization from Dom Pedro I, in 1827, through the Law of the Empire.

However, it is worth noting that this is not exclusive to these professions, as we have others that also use the title by authorization.

And, in this case, we include dentists, who are popularly called doctors.

But what about the physiotherapist? Is a physiotherapist a doctor?

We'll see soon!

As a rule, who is a doctor?

In the previous topic we were able to understand in general terms how the granting of a doctorate degree works.

In this way, we understand that a doctor can be someone who has completed a doctorate, or who has received authorization to use the title.

But, as a rule, who can actually demand to be called by this title? Is a physiotherapist a doctor?

Considering official matters, doctor is the title received by those who complete a doctorate.

Therefore, being a doctor is not exclusive to any profession, being an academic title that applies to any area.

Thus, we can conclude that the requirement for the title makes sense in terms of academic training.

Therefore, even if there is authorization to use the title, it can only be required if it coincides with the appropriate training.

When dealing with authorized use, it is good form to call professionals by their title, as a show of respect.

However, the obligation only exists when academic training at the doctoral stage occurs.

This is important information to understand whether a physiotherapist has a doctorate.

What type of degree does a physiotherapist have?

Before we conclude whether a physiotherapist has a doctorate, it is essential to understand the type of degree required for the profession.

The physiotherapist is a health professional, with a higher education degree of the bachelor's degree type.

Therefore, to work in the profession it is necessary to complete a higher education course, which lasts an average of 4 to 5 years.

After completing the course, the professional registers with the professional council, COFFITO (Federal Council of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy).

COFFITO is responsible for regulating the profession in Brazil.

This includes the creation and authorization of areas of activity, standards, and even the granting of titles and honors.

It is worth mentioning that once you graduate as a physiotherapist, you can continue your studies.

This way, it is possible to take specialization courses, postgraduate courses, master's degree, doctorate and even post-doctorate.

Therefore, we can understand that the area of physiotherapy is very broad, and leaves room for the title of doctor upon completion of a doctorate.

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After all, is a physiotherapist a doctor?

And, we come to the point that matters most, which is where we will answer our main question.

After all, is a physiotherapist a doctor?

To answer this, we must remember that academic training in Physiotherapy allows for the completion of a doctorate.

Therefore, a physiotherapist who has completed a doctorate is indeed a doctor.

But going beyond that, we must also consider what the professional council says about this.

This is because, as we have already seen, the title by authorization can be granted by the professional council.

According to resolution no. 81 of November 30, 2021, Article 1 states: “Recommend that physiotherapists and occupational therapists, in their professional activities, use the title of Doctor, as it is a legitimate and indisputable right.”

With this, we can understand that the professional council authorizes and recommends the use of the title.

Therefore, it is clear that the title by authorization exists for the profession.

So, the title of doctor for a physiotherapist applies in the same way that doctors or lawyers use it, even without having a doctorate.

After knowing that a physiotherapist is a doctor, is it mandatory to call him that?

At this point we already know that it is possible to say that a physiotherapist is a doctor.

This is because, in addition to the possibility of academic training for a doctorate, the professional also receives this authorization from the council.

But, as for the obligation, does it exist? Is it mandatory to call a physiotherapist a doctor? Can the professional require this treatment?

It is always worth remembering that the title of doctor is a matter of professional preference.

There are those who prefer to be called that, while others don't care.

In general, obligation only exists when the academic background is consistent.

However, it is polite and respectful to call the professional by their title, since they are authorized to do so.

So, we can conclude that it is not mandatory by law, but it may be polite to use the title of treatment!

That said, now that we know everything about the subject, it’s easy to know how to address the professional!

Roberta July 12, 2023

Career