A California federal judge has ruled that nurses with doctorates do not have the right to call themselves doctors. The suit came after one of the plaintiffs was fined $20,000 by the state and another $2,500 by the state medical association for describing herself as a doctor on professional websites and social media. The California Medical Association welcomed the decision. Debate over the use of “doctor” for clinicians who do not hold an MD or DO have been ongoing for years. Healthcare groups have remained firm that the doctor title should be exclusive for those holding an MD or DO to avoid patient confusion.