There has been growing discussion lately.
“Who gives the title Diplomate?”
“Who decides who becomes a Fellow?”
“Are these even legitimate?”
Let’s address this properly. Calmly. Fact-based.
Because this is not about ego.
This is about how professions evolve.
In Human Medicine, Everyone Starts as MD
Every physician begins as a Medical Doctor (MD).
That is the base license granted by the Professional Regulation Commission through the Board of Medicine.
But does every MD remain “just MD” professionally?
No.
After medical school, physicians enter structured residency programs.
They undergo specialty training.
They complete required case logs.
They take certifying examinations.
And who grants their specialty recognition?
Not simply the PRC alone.
It is granted through recognized specialty boards and professional societies that establish:
- Residency standards
- Training accreditation
- Certification examinations
- Credentialing requirements
- Fellowship advancement criteria
For example:
The Philippine College of Physicians confers titles such as Diplomate and Fellow to internists who meet defined standards.
The Philippine Pediatric Society, through its specialty board, also outlines structured pathways from Diplomate to Fellowship.
These are documented systems.
Specialty recognition is not random.
It is organized.
Diplomate and Fellow: What They Actually Mean
Across medical specialty systems, the pattern is consistent:
Diplomate
A physician who has completed accredited training and passed the certifying specialty board examination.
Fellow
A physician who has advanced standing within the specialty society, usually requiring years in good standing, contribution to the field, leadership, research, or teaching.
This structure exists globally in medicine.
The MD remains the base license.
The specialty designation reflects advanced credentialing.
Veterinary Medicine Follows the Same Logic
A veterinarian is licensed as a DVM.
That is the foundation.
When a veterinarian completes structured post-graduate education, documented case requirements, peer evaluation, and credentialing under a professional college or specialty organization, the conferral of Diplomate or Fellow status follows the same professional model.
Specialization is not ego.
It is professional development.
Important Clarification
Specialty recognition does not replace the base license.
A pediatrician is still an MD.
An internist is still an MD.
Likewise, a veterinarian who becomes a Diplomate or Fellow remains a DVM.
The title reflects advanced credentialing within a professional framework.
The Bigger Conversation
As professions mature, they develop layers:
- General practice
- Advanced practice
- Subspecialization
- Academic leadership
- Clinical focus areas
This is not hierarchy for ego.
It is differentiation for competence.
Medicine evolves.
Complexity increases.
Standards rise.
Professional structures evolve with it.
Final Thought
Before questioning the existence of Diplomates and Fellows in veterinary medicine, understand that this structure mirrors how human medicine organizes itself.
Base license first.
Structured specialty recognition after.
That is not inflation of titles.
That is professional growth.
Dr. Geoff Carullo is a Fellow and the current President of the Philippine College of Canine Practitioners.
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