Row erupts over foreign medicos' 'MD Physician' title

NewsIndia NewsRow erupts over foreign medicos' 'MD Physician' title NEW DELHI: An 'MD' title after a doctor's name usually signals a postgraduate medical qualification in India. But for some foreign medical graduates, MD (Physician) is the title of their primary medical degree.This difference has triggered a dispute over professional titles, with doctors warning that patients could be misled and foreign medical graduates arguing their qualifications are officially recognised.Dr Dhruv Chauhan, national spokesperson for Junior Doctors' Network (JDN) of Indian Medical Association, flagged the issue in a post on X, alleging some doctors misuse the 'MD' degree title awarded in foreign countries, where it may denote a primary medical qualification equivalent to MBBS in India.He said that using it in professional titles and online biographies could mislead patients and even other doctors, and warned of possible legal consequences.

He also advised doctors against such representations.Dr MK Ramesh, president of NMC's Medical Assessment and Rating Board told TOI the issue arises from differences in medical qualification nomenclature across countries.

In some countries, the basic medical qualification is called an MD, whereas in India it is MBBS. Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development This distinction needs to be clearly recognised.

Some measures have already been taken to address the issue, and further steps will be pursued.A senior doctor said the issue had persisted for nearly a decade despite repeated representations to regulators. "Patients cannot be expected to know the difference," he said.All FMGs Association has defended the use of the title "MD Physician", arguing the qualification is recognised as equivalent to MBBS in India and that graduates should not be branded fraudulent merely for mentioning the degree awarded by their foreign universities.

Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. Anuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers.

Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.

Modi Govt Extends Ban On Zakir Naik's Islamic Research Foundation For 5 Years Under UAPA Sonam Wangchuk Under ‘House Arrest’ As Leh Apex Body Seeks To Postpone Winter Polls Dead Fish In Yamuna: BJP Accuses AAP Of Staging Incident, Kejriwal's Party Hits Back Indonesian Woman With Alleged Chinese Links Caught At Sonauli Border With Multiple Indian IDs 'Kashmir Was, Is And Will Be India's': Farooq Abdullah Urges Pakistan To End Terrorism 'Sam Bhai...Gujarati Friend': PM Modi-Sam Pitroda's X Exchange Goes Viral ‘Clean Chit To Gandhi Family’: 1984 Anti-Sikh Riot Victims' Families Burn Sonia’s Memoir ‘Pay ₹7 Crore Or...’: Kejriwal, Daughter Get ‘Death Threat’ From ‘Lawrence Bishnoi Gang Member’ Owaisi, Chandra Shekhar Azad Form Alliance For 2027 UP Polls; SP, Congress React ‘Double Standards of…’: BJP Hits Out As Congress Names Bimol Akoijam To Key Manipur Poll Panels Kidney stones can form silently, cause sudden unbearable pain and return even after treatment: Doctor shares 5 facts about kidney stones, their causes, warning signs and how to prevent them Kajal Aggarwal ditches predictable festive dressing for a colour-blocked look with a regal Mandodari twist