No Miss, no Ms... just Mrs

That seems very odd. Given that Phds are ubiquitous in some industries (just as MRCS etc are ubiquitous in the NHS) surely you don't all go around introducing yourselves to colleagues as Dr so and so? None of the medical Drs I work with do - they will use the title if they are publishing, or working with a patient to clarify their role, that sort of thing, but wouldn't dream of using it socially outside of work, probably because they know no-one would be impressed.

We don't use Dr within our company (scientific software) because its the norm rather than the exception, but I'd be pretty sure that my colleagues with customer-facing roles would use it (or have the letters after their name on their business card). Outside of work I do quite like using it in some contexts esp traditionally misogynistic ones.

I really don't understand this. In a research environment everyone either has a PhD or is working towards one so its not an unusual thing. I think you are being rude to suggest people who use it are the 'do you know who I am type'. It's a professional title, it's not redundant. As much as you would like to believe it is. Outside of work is another story I don't know what everyone refers to themselves as but I'm sure they probably have it on their credit cards if nothing else.

I too would prefer a world without titles.

In the meantime I will continue to use Ms. I like the sound.

Nope, Sir, nor any of the ones I know. A tiny minority in work, and most of them tend to be of the 'do you not know who I am' variety. A research scientist I knew used to, until he realised that no one was impressed, or even cared.

Sir Chenjin, a title could never define anyone. I think it's nice to work hard and have the option of changing your title to reflect this if you wish. I don't see why anyone who has a PhD should feel embarrassed to use it, it is provided as an option for a reason. Your cousin has made his choice and others should feel free without judgement to make theirs.

In fact, come to think of it, none of the Drs (Phd or medical)I know use the title outside of work

The PhDs on here must be of a very different opinion to any that I know. I can't think what their reasoning is. It's absolutely personal preference outside of work but have no idea how they find it redundant in work. Out of close to 100 drs/profs I couldn't name one that doesn't use it in my institute. Maybe it differs by field/employment status. If I had a PhD but hadn't worked in the field for a while I would feel silly using the title.

Nicola - why does it matter to you that people generally outside of your workplace know that you are a Dr? One of my cousins has a Phd in some physics field - really bright bloke, worked hard etc - but he doesn't use the title outside of work as he doesn't feel it's at all important or that it defines him.

Yes, I understand that nicola.... however, the women on this thread, with PhDs who work in academia have said that the title is pretty much redundant. Use the title if you choose too, but it's obviously not necessary to use it, even in the biomedical research field.

Puffinsareficticious, I'm saying I don't agree, they have put in an equal amount of work if not more for the title as a medical doctor and therefore should be recognised equally. I'm in the final year of my PhD and I will be using Dr as my title, I can't think of any exceptions to that.

Ive got Dr on my bank cards, I go by the title of Miss at work and either Mrs or occasionally Ms outside of work. Tbh, I don't really care what people call me as long as it is polite
I agree that one title for all would be the best option though, and not really bothered which one it is.

IN my children's school all females are Miss and all males are Sir

I like San, might change my nickname!!

nicola... the PhDs on this thread have said they don't want/need to.

Dr/Prof are very much necessary in academia for so many reasons - publication, collaboration, rank etc. especially in the biomedical research field. I don't see why PhDs should revert back to mr/mrs/miss/ms in their personal life, they worked hard for that title.

Yeah, Mrs Fuckbuddy isn't very polite - can understand your irritation there

I make a point of going by Miss even though I'm the wrong side of 40 and have a teen DD. I've never been married and I hate the connotation that Ms means I'm divorced or ashamed of being single.

I get quite irritated by people (usually teachers) calling me Mrs Fuckbuddy, as DD has her dad's name.

I think if we were to all start going by Mrs, given the current meaning of the title, it would feel like we were all pretending to be married in order to conform.

Yesterday I filled in a guarantee form for my new KitchenAid and there was only a Mrs or Ms option, not a Miss. I decided to be a Lord!

Oh gosh - maybe it was Miss but sounded like Missy with the accent?! Either way, we all liked it

Yes agree it should not matter if miss / Mrs / ms. I have just realised one of dc's teachers is a Mrs not a Miss and am wondering if she will be offended. Maybe I should just write Ms for everyone in the future?

That's still very common, SirChenjin. It's usually Miss and Mr followed by first name. It's a rite of passage in the South when sometime in the early to mid-teens, a young person will be invited to drop the Miss and use just the first name.

We had a five year old neighbor who had trouble remembering DH's name so he just called him Mr. Man.

Highest status? Do people really think like that in this day and age? I had no clue people were assigning status on the basis of my title, if they are I'd better use the Dr more!

I have to say that I thought that Ms was pronounced the same way as those from the Southern States say Mrs, which is lovely.