‘A noble profession’

The medical profession, as is well known, is a noble one. It takes a painstaking effort to obtain this dignified and humanity serving degree, and it seems to be never ending. Doctors keep studying till the end of their practising lives in order to keep up with the latest medical advancements. 

Getting a medical degree takes nearly six to seven years after attaining a high score in school exams, going through an internship, strenuous hospital work and treating patients.

After becoming doctors we still need to work hard, do night duty and undergo the stress of dealing with human suffering, then years later become a specialist in a particular field. All in all we spend a lifetime to fulfil our dreams of being doctors. 

The reason for all these details is to share with everyone what it takes to be addressed as “doctor”.

What has bothered me, since the decades of working in this profession, is that the title has been misused in this part of the world. 

Persons of other professions like pharmacists, optometrists and physiotherapists take the liberty of calling themselves doctors.

Patients are not always aware of the seriousness of this error, but I think it should be addressed. The medical syndicates should be accountable and clarify this point. 

The term doctor is for medical doctors; this prestigious title is not for any other degree holders. Better late than never, this issue should be brought to light and dealt with, as we real time doctors are being degraded by such ignorant actions. 

Even in the rest of the world, PhD holders always mention that they are non-medical doctorate holders. Why then in our part of the world is this noble hard-earned title misused? 

By the way this is the only region in the world where “engineer” is a title. Nowhere else are you addressed as engineer so and so. It just makes me wonder.

Barbara Burgan
Amman