For some int'l comparison, here in Ontario, Canada, the norm has long been what is being proposed in these various laws. Only medical doctors, members of a Col

For some int'l comparison, here in Ontario, Canada, the norm has long been what is being proposed in these various laws. Only medical doctors, members of a College of Physicians, are doctors. If you present yourself as a doctor without being a member of the College, that's illegal. Which creates the exact same bizarre circumstance. Nurse practitioners are a thing here too. They have all the powers doctors have, nearly. They can practice family medicine unsupervised, examine, prescribe, refer. But they're not doctors. Much of this goes back to the Colleges (legally-recognized professional associations). In some senses, it's almost a trademark issue. The College of Nurses is just as protective of the Practitioner title as the College of Physicians is of the Doctor and Physician title. The history and nature of these organizations (prestigious, autonomous, and the perogatives fiercely protected by its members) prevents doing the logical thing - nurse practitioners and doctors obviously belong in the same professional organization of medical practitioners.