If you don’t have a license to practice medicine are you ...

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?? I don´t get the point for this question? could you explain it better?,
As far as i understand for wht u ask, well if you dont have a license, u´re definately not a doctor, ther´s no way you can call ursel medical doctor then.
Is this what you ment asking or didnt i get it right

A doctorate is awarded by an educational institution.

A license is awarded by a governmental body.

There are many doctors trained in medicine who do not hold a license to practice. A doctor who obtains a license but then lets it lapse is not licensed to practice, though still a doctor. Same for a doctor whose license is revoked. A doctorate cannot be revoked, it is a measure of educational achievement.

A doctor licensed in one country travelling in another would also considered a medical doctor without license to practice.


This forum is for discussion of news stories. I'm assuming the OP is going somewhere with this, and is about to post a link to a news story. If not I'll ask the moderator to move this to the appropriate forum.

In order to be a medical doctor, you have to have some sort of training. Whether a license is mandatory or not is a different story. Lots of private school teachers don't have licenses and they do a hell of a lot better job than most teachers with licenses.

Uhhh, of course not, no!

Can't answer until you explain. I assume the obvious answer would be no, but that you're trying to trip us up somehow? Is this a trick question?

I'm training to be a naturopathic doctor, which would make me an ND when I'm registered and accredited... different medicine, same idea... are you having a go at us somehow??

Is there some kind of News article you are going to post soon?

What exactly do you mean? If I tell someone I care for that a certain food, herb, nutrient, therapy etc might help them from research or personal experience, does that mean I'm practicing medicine??

Yes I think I know now what you mean , and I agree with Jrknothead since it´s the same in Spain at least.
If you get the doctorate you are officially a medical doctor whether you practice or not, ´cos it´s an academic achievement.
I´m actually a Pharmacist but I´m not practicing at the moment, I´m on a career break. So i guess it´s the same for doctors elsewhere.

However i must admit it can be tricky question because in my country and others, for instance someone who finish their studies whether its pharmacy, medicine, law....they are called: Licenciado (in spanish) which could be translated literally as "licensed".
Now that was why i was confused at first..lost in translation, lol, but taking into account the english sense of "license"...I then realised exactly what it meant and so I agree with Jrknothead.