I wanted to know if a former doctor has to drop the suffix "MD" from their name and no longer be addressed as "Doctor." I know several retired docs who still have it, and that's fine I think. But what if their license is revoked by the state medical board because of gross negligence or something? If possible, can you provide a link to some kind of policy?
2007-10-26 03:35:07 · 6 answers · asked by Moore 7 in Education & Reference ➔ Higher Education (University +)
The MD and the license are separate and different things. The MD (Doctor of Medicine) is a college degree, the license is simply permission by the state to practice.
If the state withdraws the license, he still went to college and has that degree. He'd still be Dr. John Smith MD he just doesn't have permission of the state to practice medicine. And calling himself John Smith MD might get him in trouble for implying that he does have a license to practice unless he's careful.
If his college withdraws his degree (could happen for things like academic dishonesty they just found out about) then the state will withdraw his license as well - in this case, he'd not be John Smith MD
There are a number of jobs an MD can do that don't involve practicing medicine but for which the MD education is useful. Our Dr. Smith might teach freshman anatomy down at the community college for example and still be Dr. Smith appropriately.
The same is true of other professions. If an accountant has his license to practice revoked, he still has a bachelor's or master's degree; he just can't be an accountant any longer.
Or, a teacher. When the teaching certificate is suspended, it doesn't suspend the degree the teacher earned in college.
2007-10-26 03:48:45 · answer #1 · answered by CoachT 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
MD is a degree the University or the Medical School confers upon the candidate after he/she has successfully completed the curriculum. It is not a license to practice Medicine. You find lot of doctors with MD and MS and specialization degrees and diplomas who are in administrative and management jobs and who do not practice medicine.
Hence MD being just an educational qualification that you get after successful completion of a MD program, you have the MD with you the entire life. You practice or work outside the medical domain, that has nothing to do with your educational qualification which is a what MD or a similar degree is infact.
2007-10-26 11:28:05 · answer #2 · answered by BostonTechee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they are retired then can still have MD. If their license is taken away then no they cannot have MD or DO or whatever
2007-10-26 10:48:23 · answer #3 · answered by Ashley 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, technically that was the degree bestowed upon them. It's either an MD or DM depending on school.
2007-10-26 10:51:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The doctor does not have to drop "MD" from their name.
2007-10-26 14:12:47 · answer #5 · answered by BigRedRockEater 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Each state has its own policy regarding this issue. California is the most stringent and here's a link that discusses it and references the California law: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1657243&blobtype=pdf
http://www.fsmb.org/smb_protecting_public.html
2007-10-26 14:42:02 · answer #6 · answered by J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋