Science Advocacy
Science Advocacy
It seems like there are dozens of types of doctors these days. What is a “real” doctor? What type of training do they have? Can they prescribe you medicine or even give you useful medical advice based on reality? Here’s a run-down of your options.
Medical Doctor (M.D.)
Requirements: Four years of medical school, plus 3-7 years of residency. Residency is time spent working under more experienced physicians after medical school.
M.D.’s are medical doctors trained in allopathic (or modern science-based) medicine. They have the ability to write prescriptions, perform surgeries, etc.
Verdict: Definitely “real” doctors.
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
Requirements: Four years of medical school, plus 3-7 years of residency.
In the United States, all “osteopaths” hold a D.O. degree, while in some other countries “osteopathy” is a form of pseudo-medicine that is not based on modern scientific principals. In this country, a D.O. will have essentially the same training as an M.D., plus some additional training in osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT). There is a lot of debate about whether OMT actually works, but the rest of the D.O. training is scientifically sound. They usually share the same residencies with M.D.s, and can write prescriptions and perform surgeries.
Verdict: Definitely “real” doctors.
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M.)
Requirements: Four years of veterinary school, plus optional internship (1 yr) and residencies (3+ years).
The D.V.M. is a veterinary degree, and those holding are doctors, but for animals. They can write prescriptions for and perform surgeries on animals, but not on or for humans. While they are not trained to treat humans, they are real doctors with strong scientific training. They can provide scientific or medical advice, but always seek the advice of an M.D. or D.O. when making health decisions for your own personal (human) health.
Verdict: They are real doctors, but for animals only. They are generally called veterinarians.
Requirements: Typically 3-8 years of intensive original research with authorship and defense of a thesis. The subject of the research could be almost anything – history, biology, language, art, chemistry, physics, really anything.
A Ph.D. is a doctorate in philosophy. Ph.D.’s are real doctors, but not medical doctors. Since you can get a Ph.D. in almost any field (including non-scientific fields), they are not the type of doctors that treat patients. They cannot prescribe medicine or perform surgeries on humans. If their degree is in the medical or biological sciences, they may well know more about their particular field than an M.D., and might be able to provide some advice, but always see an M.D. or D.O. when making health decisions.
Verdict: They are real doctors, but not the ones you are looking for when you get sick.
Requirements: Most acupuncturists get a 3-4 year masters in acupuncture from a school accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and then take the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) examination.
The majority of oriental medicine or tradition Chinese medicine (TCM) practiced in the United States is acupuncture. There are plenty of acupuncturists around and some insurance plans even cover this treatment, which is sometimes considered part of “integrative medicine.”
TCM and acupuncture are not based on scientific principles, but are based instead on traditional Eastern medicine. As to whether they work, that really depends on your condition and how you define “works”. There are reports showing some benefit, but others that don’t. On the whole, it appears that acupuncture has, at best, a modest positive effect when combined with science-based medicine for a limited numbers of diseases. However, it is possible that all of these benefits are the result of the placebo effect. If you are using acupuncture in combination with other treatments recommended by a doctor (M.D. or D.O) and it seems to help – great! If not, don’t waste your money.
Verdict: No, they are not real doctors. You would only address an acupuncturist as “doctor” if they also held one of the degrees above (which sometimes happens).
Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.)
Requirements: Four years of chiropractic school followed by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exam.
A lot of people swear by their chiropractor. They are everywhere in the United States and are covered by many insurance plans. That’s good news. There is some bad news though – chiropractic manipulation doesn’t really work.
Ok, Ok, before you come to the defense of your chiropractor’s good name, do your homework. Based on numerous trials and reviews of the available data, it is very clear that chiropractic manipulation is ineffective in treating every condition with the possible exception of lower back pain. The data aren’t very clear for lower back pain, but there are some reports that show a modest benefit.
Are chirpractors real doctors? No, they do not hold medical degrees, and their training is not based on accepted scientific principles. If you have a bad back and it helps you, knock yourself out. For any other conditions, don’t waste your time and money. Also, people do die from poorly performed chiropractic manipulation. It’s not really clear what the risk of death or serious injury is, because many are not reported. Maybe consider this next time you think you need a “realignment.”
Verdict: Not doctors. This is pseudo-medicine, and it probably doesn’t work.
Requirements: Four years wasted in naturopathic medical school. Then they must pass the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX).
Here are some treatments or methods your local N.D. might utilize: homeopathy, chelation therapy, colonic enemas (ick), color therapy (using light to “balance your energy”), irridology (diagnosing conditions based on what your iris looks like), ozone therapy, and rolfing (deep message therapy). None of these therapies have any basis in science or reality, and none of them work. Plus some of them are dangerous! Many naturopahtic “doctors” also recommend against vaccinations, which is stupid.
In most states, an N.D. is not considered a medical degree. Less than half of the states in this country license naturopaths. Only Oregon has gone so far as to give N.D.’s some of the same rights as real doctors (M.D.s and D.O.s). As far as UYBFS is concerned, allowing an N.D. to make medical decisions such as prescribing psychotropic medication, clearing athletes with concussions to return to games, or even just serving as the primary care physician for high need patients like autistic persons, children, or prisoners is like asking your cousin Eddy (who seems to always know how to fix your lawnmower or chainsaw) to be the sole mechanic for that new helicopter you bought cheap at an auction in Russia last year. Do not trust the medical advice of someone with an N.D. degree. Or Eddy, for that matter.
Verdict: No, they are not real doctors. This is pseudo-medicine with no basis in reality.
People certified in homeopathy (CHC, ANHt, or HANP)
Requirements: All that is required is certification by one of the three North American Homeopathy organizations. There is no federally-recognized licencing in homeopathy in the US, though some states will allow certified persons to practice homeopathy.
Homeopathy doesn’t work. While that dude with the greasy hair who works at Whole Foods named “Saffron” might say it totally does, there is absolutely no evidence that any of the core homeopathic methods provide any benefit at all. The entire basis of homeopathy has more in common with pre-science medicine, the kind that led to an awful lot of bloodletting and people eating snakes. Trying wacky natural herbs, minerals, and animal parts to see if they healed made a lot of sense back then, since people had no idea what was causing diseases, let alone how to treat them. However, thanks to science, we know what causes most disease, and what works or doesn’t to treat it. Homeopathy isn’t good because it’s natural, it’s bad because it’s a remnant of a time before science and reason. It’s time to let it go. That guy’s real name probably isn’t Saffron anyway.
Verdict: No, they are not real doctors. This is pseudo-medicine with no basis in reality.
