From the Practice Advisors
Our practice advisors provide the answers to two common questions about the use of exclusive titles by health professionals regulated by CHCPBC. This post was updated on May 4, 2026 for clarity.
1. Do I need to call myself a licensed professional after April 1, 2026?
As of April 1, 2026, all nine designated health professions regulated by CHCPBC are governed by the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA).
Under the Health and Care Professionals Regulation, the professional titles of these designated health professions are exclusive titles such as dietitian, hearing instrument practitioner, occupational therapist, optician, school psychologist, and speech-language pathologist. Only licensees of the College may use these exclusive titles. In accordance with the CHCPBC Bylaws under the HPOA (ss.9.8 and 9.9), licensees in the provisional class and temporary class must use their title in conjunction with that licensure class (e.g. provisional dietitian or temporary psychologist).
It’s important to note that similar to how the term “Registered” in itself was not a reserved title under the Health Professions Act, the term “Licensed” itself is not an exclusive title; this means that even unregulated service providers can refer to themselves as licensed. Licensees are not encouraged to use the descriptor “Licensed” alongside their title to indicate their licensure status, but this is also not prohibited. Use of titles by licensees should follow the regulation, the bylaws, and the standards. Additional guidance, if necessary, may be provided in the future. The College has not established a list of abbreviations at this time.
2. Can I use the title “Doctor”?
There are two instances in which CHCPBC licensees may use the title “doctor,” according to the Health and Care Professionals Regulation (section 5):
- Optometrists: this is the only designated health profession regulated by CHCPBC that is expressly authorized by the Regulation to use the title “doctor” as part of their exclusive title.
- A licensee in another profession regulated by CHCPBC whose academic or educational credentials includes a doctoral degree may also refer to themselves as a doctor if they meet specific requirements while using the title.
In both cases, the regulation requires that these licensees indicate clearly that they are not a medical practitioner, or are not authorized to practise medicine.
Context is important here: most people associate the title doctor with the medical profession. It is therefore important to communicate your role and credentials clearly and accurately. Avoid calling yourself “doctor” if there is any risk of confusion by patients, clients, the public, or other members of the healthcare team. Use your regulatory title appropriately for all public- or patient-facing material and correspondence. And if you think someone has interpreted your doctor title to mean a medical practitioner, it is prudent to address that misconception.
If you are a licensee who holds a doctoral degree as part of your credentials, we recommend that you introduce yourself with your name, followed by your academic qualification, and the profession in which you practise.
Some examples of how licensees with doctoral education can use their credentials appropriately:
- Raman Dhillon, Ph.D. in human nutrition, Dietitian
- John Peterson, Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Physical Therapist
- Ayesha Syed, Ph.D., Psychologist
- Ayesha Syed, Doctorate in Psychology, Psychologist
- Amelie Tremblay, PsyD, School Psychologist
As a reminder, credentials are not synonymous of holding a licence to practise. It remains important that use your exclusive title alongside your credentials so the public does not confuse your education with your right to practise.
You can read more about this in the FAQ that speaks to who may use the title “Doctor.”
Resources
- Exclusive Titles, BC Ministry of Health
- Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA)
- Health and Care Professionals Regulation
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Health Professions and Occupations Act, CHCPBC
About the Practice Support service
CHCPBC has profession-specific Practice Advisors for each of the nine professions the College regulates. Questions that are sent by licensees will be answered by a Practice Advisor in the same profession. Submissions are treated confidentially.
Our practice advisors provide guidance on how regulation may be interpreted and can be implemented in practice. The goal is to assist licensees to find solutions to their practice issues given the complexity of healthcare delivery today.
Anyone – licensees or members of the public – with a question about CHCPBC’s expectations for safe, ethical and quality practice is welcome to contact our Practice Support team.
