I work with doctors all day, every day (manager at an eye clinic). Without exception, they introduce themselves to patients by their first name. I always call them “Dr. _______,” but when they call me on the phone, they’ll just say, “Hey, this is [Phil], would you mind…” to the point that it takes me a second to realize it’s Dr. _______ on the other end of the line.
And these guys are surgeons, one of the more notoriously arrogant specialties.
In Britain, surgeons generally prefer to be known as Mr. (or Mrs., Ms., or even maybe Miss, I guess), and that is the title used professionally, in the hospital. No way do they want to be mistaken for mere physicians.
On the other hand, there are things that non doctors can do . . . .
Incidentally, I have Ph.D. and I would never expect anyone to address me as “Doctor” except in certain formal academic circumstances. I sometimes like to fantasize that if someone were being very snotty and condescending to me, I would insist that they address me as “Doctor”, but that has never really arisen.
I agree with this. I don’t think its wrong to demand to be called doctor in social situations.
I can really relate to this. I bought this new Iroc Z, and then I had the underacarriage lights put on and my friends were kind of like, “that’s a bit much, isn’t it.” I know they were just jealous.
A funny thing happened after I bought this car - I never realized there were so many lesbians in the area. I mean seriously, like I’ll pull up to a stop light and say, “hey, how’s it goin; lady you lookin really fine,” and many of them just kind of look at me and drive away without saying nothing. Now I know what you’re thinking, they can’t all be lesbians, they’re probably just intimidated by my social standing. I know statisticallity that’s true - sorry if I throw out some big words; you see I’m educated and you know sometimes I just use big words when trying to explain things, but also statistically some of them are lesbians too. It’s a lot to go into now, but the laws of statistics apply here.
I think probably I should get a bigger gold chain, or maybe more chains, if the ladies see that, I think they’ll say, “I’m so nervous, but I just can’t let this opportunity slip away.” you see, its like when an oppurtunity comes up that’s too good to pass up, you know you’ll make some sacrifices.
I work with medical doctors. I’d refer to my boss by her first name, but anyone else i’d call Dr.
I’ve also got a friend who insists on being called Dr. (he’s a pharmacist). He made someone change his name on their wedding seating chart, lol. But he’s kind of a huge doucher.
In all seriousness, I was originally going to make my screen name Dr. Nylock - I just think it sounds better. But then I thought people might think I’m a doctor, and I’m not, and I just thought that would be weird. I kid you not, I think I actually put between 5 and 10 minutes of mental activity into this decision.
Peter Morris - I’ve used the Dr Evil speech on students when they call me Mrs Boods (and because Mrs Boods is my mother :p)
Seconding alexandra – I’m a senior lecturer (associate professor, I guess, to Americans) at a uni in the UK, and the students call us all by our first names from the associate lectures/adjuncts through to the professors.
I do have colleagues who get stroppy among peers, however, if they’re introduced as ‘Dr’ (which can be a lecturer, senior lecturer and reader) rather than ‘Professor.’
Do I insist on ‘doctor’ in social situations? Well, I’m assuming my mother wants me to return her calls…
Sorry about the double quote, but wanted to add one to the list: I can put FHEA after my name as well, and when my mum asked, ‘What does that mean?’ (she’s far more excited about all the degrees and stuff), I said, 'It means ‘Fucking hell, enough already.’
Great replies. Loved **RTFirefly’s **nice deconstruction there. Same as it ever was.
I worked for many years with a bunch of scientists and engineers and 6 of us had PhDs in various disciplines. The ONLY time we ever called each other ‘Doctor’ was when we had been drinking. We never used titles even when trying to impress clients. But it was dang funny, when (very occasionally) when we all met each other in the break room simultaneously trying to get to the coffee urn that we would break into “Pardon, me doctor, no after you Doctor…” and so on. For some reason that was funny.
But socially, you have to be kidding me. The only time when it is used is when my wife is irritated at me and says something like, “Dr. Inexplicable, this trash needs to go to the compost.” Kind of puts a different slant on the ‘honorific’, now doesn’t it?
This is true, as Gyrate well knows (I’ll direct him to the egg-sucking forum soon). But in situations where you’d use a title, you’d use Dr rather than Mr/Ms. You wouldn’t ask for a reference from Mrs Alexandra, but Dr Alexandra, for example.
Correct me if I’m wrong anyone, but aren’t all doctors for the most part middle to upper middle class? It is a very respectable thing to achieve; but it isn’t really something that places someone in the upper echelons of the social/financial/income hierarchy for the most part AFAIK. Even if your education is better than 95% of the population that still means you’re only 1 in 20; to me that doesn’t seem like anything extraordinary - respectable but not extraordinary, kind of like JV all-star. So I guess I kind of look at it as someone wanting to get more mileage than warranted out of their achievements if they insist on being called Doctor in a social setting - about as impressive as a second hand Rolex. I could be looking at the situation all wrong though.
Also, the OP mentioned MD as well as PhD. While an MD is generally a guarantee of at least a modicum of money, a PhD most decidedly is not. There were two or three PhDs teaching at my high school. :smack:
