I don’t really think the fight about licensing is over doctors. It’s about lawyers, and why it is that the legal profession can get you thrown in jail for giving friendly advice about legal matters.
It seems to me both cases — lawyers and health care providers — have many similar aspect to consider in re licensing, but have very significant historical factors that make them separate issues in the net out.
And as you say the most troubling case of abuse of licensing is that of lawyers, for it does create a special entitled class before the law. That ‘Esq.’ designation is true in our time, yet yet should be detested by any American.