# I pit "doctor". **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 28, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672 "2006-04-28T23:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mischievous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mischievous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mischievous)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/41 "2006-05-01T18:46:41Z")
I agree with everyone who said that a Ph. D. insisting on be addressed as “Dr.” is obnoxious in a social setting - even in many professional settings, i.e. in the lab. I actively avoid being called “Dr. mischievous” in most settings, partly because it’s pretentious, partly because in my mind “Dr. mischievous” is still my (deceased) grandfather. I also think that M.D.s who insist on being called “Dr.” outside of thier offices should be thoroughly snubbed. I only threw a hissy fit on that one occasion because, in the extremely formalised context of jury duty, the damn lawyers (a) had asked for and recieved the pertinent information regarding degrees awarded, and (b) were using the honorific for _the guy sitting right next to me_, and not for me. And I was bored out of my mind. The case ended being pretty cool, though. mischievous ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/42 "2006-05-01T19:12:48Z")
> [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > “coach” annoys me because, first of all, it sounds like you’re trying to make sure everyone knows you’re an athlete. You have a coach. BFD. Second of all, there are like fourteen coaches at my school. “coach wants to see you” means nothing to me. “Mr. so-and-so wants to see you” tells me a lot more. Also, people who don’t play sports and have coaches as teachers call them “coach” too! that makes no sense to me. What, is he your British lit coach? your algebra coach? I can understand using it to address your coach, but when referring to him, call him “coach hardbody” or “Mr. hardbody” or “my coach” At my high school, there were no separate positions for coaches – all the coaches were members of the teaching staff who did coaching as a sideline. Oddly enough, most of the coaches taught health (hygiene and sex ed) or social studies (history, government, etc.). The teacher I had for Ancient Civilization and World Civilization insisted on being addressed as “Coach Harrison” by everyone, even those who weren’t on his baseball team. He didn’t like being called “Mr.” At least he was one of those amiable dunce coaches instead of one of those aggressively obnoxious coaches. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/43 "2006-05-01T19:28:39Z")
> [@mischievous](#): > > After about the third round of questioning, I got annoyed by the discrepancy and corrected one of the lawyers - “That’s _Dr._ Mischievous, please.” Maybe he just thought that saying “Dr. Mischievous” would sound a bit weird 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/44 "2006-05-01T20:19:26Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > At my high school, there were no separate positions for coaches – all the coaches were members of the teaching staff who did coaching as a sideline. Oddly enough, most of the coaches taught health (hygiene and sex ed) or social studies (history, government, etc.). The teacher I had for Ancient Civilization and World Civilization insisted on being addressed as “Coach Harrison” by everyone, even those who weren’t on his baseball team. He didn’t like being called “Mr.” At least he was one of those amiable dunce coaches instead of one of those aggressively obnoxious coaches. Same here; only thing is, we only had one coach who everyone called “Coach” rather than “Mister”, but I think that had more to do with his last name and the fun factor in calling him Coach Roche than anything else. He was cool, too, and not just to the jocks. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/45 "2006-05-01T22:26:18Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > “Did you follow up with doctor?” Answer: “Where you learn use words?” I work in a hospital, and I haven’t heard the usage noted in the OP, thankfully. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/46 "2006-05-02T01:37:05Z")
> [@Ferret Herder](#): > > I noted that at the undergraduate university I went to, instructors who had Ph.Ds or other doctorates but not a professorship were addressed as “Dr. so-and-so”, so the title of “Prof. so-and-so” was more highly valued. Indeed, professor is a more prestigious title than doctor, outside of the medical profession. And of course there some professors who aren’t doctors; some disciplines offer only a master’s as a terminal degree. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f475e1/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slip_1)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/47 "2006-05-02T02:49:11Z")
> [@beagledave](#): > > Is this a midwest thing, or a universal annoyance? I’ve practiced in the south (Texas) and in the northeast (Vermont) and never heard this usage. It’s very odd sounding - sounds like it belongs in a badly written melodrama. > [@Lightnin'](#): > > I have to admit that I don’t get, and rather resent, the whole “doctor as honorific” thing. This is someone who’s theoretically going to cut me up and rearrange my insides- if (s)he’s going to be that familiar with me, I’d prefer we be on a first-name basis, thankyewverymuch. > > \ > > Do they get it to maintain an aura of professionalism? Why would they need it? Your post reminds me of one of my attending psychiatrists who lectured on this very issue. He was very much in favor of the formalized doctor-patient relationship, where the physician is “Dr. So-and-so” and the patient is “Mr/Mrs/Dr/Reverend Whoever”. His primary reason? It reminds both parties that it’s not a buddy-buddy relationship - and often the doc needs reminding more than the patient. 😃 To this day, I have major problems addressing a patient on a first-name basis - it’s a matter of respect for me (and my professor’s teachings). In the office, I prefer to be “Doctor Slip” or “Doc” to my patients. The couple of times I have let that pass, it has not worked out well, therapeutically. Outside the office? If I run into a patient (and they say hello first), we stick with titles and last names. Anyone else, they usually address me as Doctor Slip - and I usually then ask they use my first name. And, when I go see a doc? S/he’s “Doctor Whozitz” until/unless I’m told otherwise. More mutual respect, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/48 "2006-05-02T10:37:54Z")
Reminds me of that lovely scene in K-Pax. Scientist Dude: “This is Doctor Plaf, and this is Doctor Smudge, that’s Doctor Nark, and then Doctor Klump, and Doctor Fudge, and over there, Doctor Miff.” K-Pax Dude: “Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor, Doctor…Doctor…how many doctors do you have on your planet?” ---
**Author:** ![irishgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@irishgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irishgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/49 "2006-05-02T13:28:39Z")
Know when it gets even more confusing? When surgeons go by Mr. or Ms. like they do in the UK and Ireland. So the surgeons get incredibly pissed off if you call them doctor by mistake, they’ve spent 6 years getting to be called Dr, and another 10 trying to get back to Mr! ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/50 "2006-05-02T17:36:42Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Oh really? I have never run into someone with a PhD, LLD, DVM, DDS, or any of the other doctorate degrees being called Mr. (or Ms. or Mrs. as the case may be). If you have a doctorate degree then you are properly called **Dr.** so-and-so. I have a Ph.D. and never use the title Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/51 "2006-05-02T17:58:46Z")
> [@EJsGirl](#): > > Our vet used to be called just “doc” by everybody, including his staff, but it was because his last name was vextremely difficult to pronounce. Doc was like his name, and he used it too! If he left you a phone message, he would say “This is Doc, about the test results…” and you knew exactly who it was. > > But use of just “doctor” at any other time would drive me nuts… I just have to say, I find Vextremely difficult to be a great phrase. (I know it was probably a typo). To me it describes something that is very very hard, and also quote vexing to deal with. Love it! ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/52 "2006-05-02T19:19:06Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > I have noticed this with a few other titles or nouns as well. And yes, I find it VERY annoying, more of that dumbing down of America. > The one that’s getting me these days is the use of “in hospital” for in THE hospital". I understand that “in hospital” is a common phrase in the UK, but we are not IN the UK. God how I hate this. I notice that on the KCRW music shows the announcers usually say that a band or performer is going to be “in studio”–in this country it is in. the. studio. dammit! I not even sure the British even do say “in studio” without the article and it’s not just a vain attempt to demonstrate that the writer has been to England, or even spent considerable time there. I consider other such efforts in a similar light, such as [ul] [li] putting the “u” in “color”, “favor”, and so on[/li][li] writing the date in dd/mm/yyyy format[/li][li] gratuitious use of “whilst”[/li][/ul]. > [@](#): > > It’s either very pretend-yish and pretentious on the parts of our newscasters and they’re trying to sound British, ". At the radio station I mentioned, the announcer for the weekday morning music program actually is British, and it’s possible that his expressions are rubbing off on the rest of the employees. Which only would explain it, not excuse it. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/53 "2006-05-02T21:14:24Z")
I hear this all the time and it drives me berserk. THE doctor! THE doctor! THE FUCKING DOCTOR! ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/54 "2006-05-02T22:11:35Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > I have a Ph.D. and never use the title Doctor. Whether you use it or not of course is your business, but certainly you are entitled to it. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/55 "2006-05-02T22:48:49Z")
I’ve been reading this thread since the OP, and thinking, "I’ve never heard ‘doctor’ being used this way. It does seem quite annoying, like a nickname used by an older woman in a simpering way. Of course, I heard it used last night. I’m an EMT with a volunteer firehouse, and we took a patient to the hospital. We got her transferred over, and as the nurse (an older woman, seemed like the type to revere the doctors, in an ass-kissy way) was signing our papers, she told the patient, “Doctor will be right in.” I did a double-take, and all I could think of was this thread. 😛 She was very dismissive of us, the lowly EMTs, and got all bright-eyed when “Doctor” came in. The other medic with me rolled his eyes at me and we left. I said, “Did she say, ‘Doctor will be right in’ with no ‘the’ in front of it?” He said, “Yeah, that’s how she talks. Weird, isn’t it? She’s a bitch.” ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/56 "2006-05-03T12:07:10Z")
Mild hijack - I cringe when adults refer to their parents as ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy’ when speaking to non-relatives. “Daddy is coming over this evening.” "I told Mommy that I would take her to the store. I’m a co-worker and I don’t know your parents. Maybe I’m wrong, but I would prefer to hear\*\* my \*\* Mom or **my** Dad. TYVM - Back to the Doctor stuff…\* ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/57 "2006-05-23T16:18:38Z")
[QUOTE=jali] Mild hijack - I cringe when adults refer to their parents as ‘mommy’ or ‘daddy’ when speaking to non-relatives. “Daddy is coming over this evening.” "I told Mommy that I would take her to the store. I’m a co-worker and I don’t know your parents. Maybe I’m wrong, but I would prefer to hear\*\* my \*\* Mom or **my** Dad. TYVM [/QUOTE] A peeve of mine is when parents refer to themselves as “moms” and “dads” when talking to anyone other than their children. “I’m a mom of four.” “I’m Caitlin’s dad.” Where’s a pukey smiley when you need one? It may be pedantic and as far as I know I’m the only one in the world who feels this way, but to my way of thinking, a mother or father is what you _are_; “Mom” and “Dad” are what your kids call you. Calling yourself a “mom” is like giving yourself a title. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/58 "2006-05-23T16:27:00Z")
[QUOTE=Licentious Ectomorph] A peeve of mine is when parents refer to themselves as “moms” and “dads” when talking to anyone other than their children. “I’m a mom of four.” “I’m Caitlin’s dad.” Where’s a pukey smiley when you need one? It may be pedantic and as far as I know I’m the only one in the world who feels this way, but to my way of thinking, a mother or father is what you _are_; “Mom” and “Dad” are what your kids call you. Calling yourself a “mom” is like giving yourself a title. [/QUOTE] Huh? Mom and Dad ARE titles. If we’re talking about say, two parents meeting on a playground, saying, “I’m Caitlin’s dad” is perfectly accurate. You bumped up a dead thread for this bullshit? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/59 "2006-05-23T16:36:39Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] Huh? Mom and Dad ARE titles. [/quote] I think that was **L.E.**'s point. You don’t refer to yourself by title. Or you shouldn’t anyway. It’s okay if someone else calls me “Mr. Acsenray,” but it’s weird if I introduce myself by saying “I’m Mister Acsenray.” > [@](#): > > If we’re talking about say, two parents meeting on a playground, saying, “I’m Caitlin’s dad” is perfectly accurate. I think L.E. explained that to him/her, “Dad” is like a pet name or a title rather than a description. To many other people, including you it seems, “dad” is just a synonym for “father.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672/60 "2006-05-23T16:54:56Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] I think that was **L.E.**'s point. You don’t refer to yourself by title. Or you shouldn’t anyway. It’s okay if someone else calls me “Mr. Acsenray,” but it’s weird if I introduce myself by saying “I’m Mister Acsenray.” I think L.E. explained that to him/her, “Dad” is like a pet name or a title rather than a description. To many other people, including you it seems, “dad” is just a synonym for “father.” [/QUOTE] Maybe, but it still seemed like a stupid reason to bump the thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-doctor/354672.md?page=4)