New Delhi – The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has called for amendments to the recently introduced physiotherapy curriculum, urging the removal of the “Dr” prefix for physiotherapists to prevent confusion among patients.
In a letter addressed to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the DGHS highlighted objections raised by several bodies, including the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (APMR), regarding the Competency-Based Curriculum for Physiotherapy, 2025. The syllabus, released in April, had suggested that graduates could use “Dr” before their names along with the suffix “PT.”
The DGHS clarified that physiotherapists are not trained as medical doctors and should not portray themselves as such. “Physiotherapists are not medical doctors; using the prefix misleads patients and the public, and may encourage quackery,” wrote Dr. Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services.
The communication further emphasized that physiotherapists should function on referral from doctors rather than as primary healthcare providers. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare also cited multiple court rulings and medical council advisories reinforcing this position. Judgments from the Patna High Court (2003), Bengaluru Court (2020), and Madras High Court (2022), along with advisories from the Tamil Nadu Medical Council, have consistently restricted the “Dr” title to registered medical practitioners.
The DGHS also reminded that using “Dr” without holding a recognized medical qualification violates the Indian Medical Degrees Act, 1916, and could attract legal consequences.
The regulatory authority has directed immediate corrections to the physiotherapy syllabus and suggested that a “more suitable and dignified designation” for physiotherapy graduates be adopted to avoid public misunderstanding.
👉 Click here to read the latest Gujarat news on TheLiveAhmedabad.com