My gp says a bulging disc and a herniated disc is the same thing but the dr. at the hospital said they are different. who is right?

Not exactly same...: Technically a herniated disc is one that has actually ruptured the supporting ring of tissue whereas a bulging disc has not yet reached that point. Both can cause precisely the same symptoms and follow a very similar course. A bulging disc may be only a moment away from a frank herniation so I am not sure the difference is much more than academic.