There are several health care professionals who may qualify for the title of Medical Doctor, including: Psychiatrists, Occupational Therapists, Radiologists, Podiatrists, Physician Assistants, Chiropractors, and Obstetricians. In order to be a Medical Doctor, one must successfully complete an undergraduate degree in medicine and then obtain a Doctor of Medicine degree from an accredited medical school. Upon completion of the two-year Doctor of Medicine program, a student must pass the Board of Medical Licensure Examination (BMLE) and become licensed by the State in which they plan to practice.
Some of the roles performed by a Doctor of Medicine include: Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Rheumatology, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Dermatology, Psychiatry, and Pulmonary, Cardiovascular, Hematology, Infectious Disease, and Neurology. While a Doctor of Medicine is typically in the office full time, there are a few situations where a Physical Therapist (PT) may fill the role.
For example, a PT may work in a medical setting with a patient who requires physical therapy. This position can also be available to Physical Therapists who may need additional training in a specific area. The Physical Therapy program is usually a minimum of four years, but some schools require five years. In addition, the program should involve internships with a variety of other professionals and activities, as well as the learning of basic first aid and CPR.
A Physical Therapist is often employed as a Nurse Practitioner, which is an internal medicine/physical therapy combination. The PT may be trained in other areas of medicine that may be required in this position, and this can include: Psychiatry, Palliative Care, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, or General Internal Medicine.
A Podiatrist is a Health Care professional who specializes in treating and repairing the feet and joints of the human body. Typically, a Podiatrist will perform both self-diagnostic and in-office procedures on patients. These include x-rays, X-Ray Displays, or even Eye and Hearing Implant Procedures.
A Physical Therapist can also work as a Chiropractor, which is an “invasive” (cutting) form of treatment. While they may not perform surgery on their patients, they perform physical treatments on a person’s foot, leg, ankle, hand, wrist, and arm. The work of a Chiropractor may be performed on children, pregnant women, the elderly, or adults with a variety of conditions.
A Chiropractor has many of the same responsibilities as a Physical Therapist, but they often use less invasive, less expensive methods. While most Chiropractors use no more than various methods of adjustment, they do use some traction to restore proper alignment and movement to a patient’s joints. Most chiropractors do not perform surgery on their patients.
One can find many positions open in a medical or health care setting that requires that you perform a mixture of physical therapy. A good starting point is to look up job listings on the Internet, and then perform some research to find out which type of Physician you may want to work with. Once you’ve narrowed down your search to a particular type of Physician, you can simply take the BMLLE test to see if you meet the requirements to become a Medical Doctor in that field.