This issue keeps coming back in veterinary discussions:
“Graduate na ng Veterinary Medicine—doctor na ba kahit wala pang license?”
Closely tied to that is the follow-up question:
“Kung hindi pa licensed, paano ba dapat tawagin—Doctor o Mr./Ms.?”
To end the debate cleanly, we must separate academic status from legal authority, and then apply the rule consistently.
1) Who grants the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree?
The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) is an academic degree.
It is granted by the school—specifically, a College of Veterinary Medicine that is authorized and accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Once all academic and clinical requirements are completed, the university confers the DVM degree.
At this point, the graduate is academically a DVM graduate.
This part is not under PRC. It is under the education system.
2) Who grants the authority to practice veterinary medicine?
The authority to practice veterinary medicine in the Philippines is granted only by the State, through the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Professional Regulatory Board of Veterinary Medicine.
PRC:
Administers the Veterinary Licensure Examination
Registers successful examinees
Issues the Certificate of Registration and Professional ID
Regulates and disciplines professional practice
Without PRC registration, no person is legally authorized to practice veterinary medicine, regardless of having completed the DVM degree.
3) Why the title “Doctor” is not just academic in practice
Here is where confusion and misuse begin.
Although “Doctor of Veterinary Medicine” is an academic degree, the title “Doctor” or “Dr.” in real-world veterinary settings is understood as a professional claim.
To clients, clinics, employers, and regulators, “Doctor” means:
“This person is licensed, accountable, and legally authorized to practice.”
Because of this, the title functions as a signal of authority, not just education.
4) When using “Dr.” becomes misrepresentation or unauthorized use
Using the title “Dr.”, “Doctor”, or “DVM” becomes misrepresentation when it is used without PRC licensure in any context that implies professional authority, including:
Introducing oneself to clients as “Doctor”
Wearing a clinic nameplate or lab coat labeled “Dr.”
Signing medical records, prescriptions, lab requests, or certificates
Advertising or promoting veterinary services
Being presented by a clinic as a veterinarian
Actively attending, managing, or deciding on patient care
In these situations, the title is no longer academic—it becomes a claim of legal authority, which is unauthorized without PRC registration.
This is not a technicality. It is a matter of public protection and legal accountability.
5) So how should non-licensed DVM graduates be addressed?
The correct, respectful, and legally safe rule is simple:
👉 Use “Mr.” or “Ms.” in all professional and clinical settings
👉 Do NOT use “Dr.” until PRC licensure is obtained
This applies even if the person:
Has already graduated
Is waiting for the next board exam
Is employed in a veterinary clinic
Until licensed, the professional title is not authorized.
6) Acceptable identifiers for non-licensed graduates
Instead of “Dr.”, the following are proper and honest descriptors:
Mr./Ms. Juan Dela Cruz
DVM Graduate
Veterinary Medicine Graduate
Veterinary Intern
Veterinary Associate (Non-licensed)
These recognize education without misleading the public.
7) Common clinic mistakes that create risk
Some clinics attempt to “compromise” by:
Calling non-licensed staff “Doc” informally
Allowing “Dr.” on coats but not on signatures
Saying “doctor pero hindi pa licensed”
From a legal and public-perception standpoint, these distinctions do not protect the clinic or the individual.
Once the title is used in a professional setting, representation has already occurred.
Ending the debate clearly and finally
Here is the clean, debate-ending framework:
Schools grant the DVM degree (academic)
The State, through PRC, grants the license and the authority to use the professional title in practice
You may be a DVM graduate without being a licensed veterinarian.
But you may not present yourself as “Doctor” in professional settings without PRC licensure.
Final word
Titles in veterinary medicine are not honorary labels.
They are signals of trust, responsibility, and accountability.
Respecting the line between graduation and licensure protects:
The public
The profession
Clinics and employers
Young veterinarians themselves
Graduation deserves respect.
Licensure earns the title.
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