Still called Dr (PhD not medical) after retirement ?

[woodpigeons]

Just that really.
Please settle an argument for me and let me know if it is normal and/or acceptable to do this.

I'm going to make sure that I'm a Dr until the end of time 😃. I say Yes.

Yes, you become a Dr as a qualification, not as a result of being employed. What would happen if you took a career break? You’d still be Dr then.

Yes. You’ll still have the PhD whether you’re working in academia or not.

You wouldn’t keep Prof after retirement, unless you become Prof emeritus. But you’d still be Dr.

How could you stop be a Dr? Give back the certificate and then unlearn all the things your studied to get it?

Yes of course. You've earned that qualification.

Yes, it's someone's title. Nothing to do with their job.

Thank you everyone.
My DH is not happy for me to use it. He hasn’t got a PhD but had a much better career and longer work history than me due to his overseas jobs, kids, necessary home schooling etc preventing me from working.
Usually he’s reasonable but at times says I only did it to make him look stupid whereas I actually did it to stop me feeling stupid.
I don’t use it all the time but would quite like to as I hate being called Mrs hismother’sname.
Just got off the phone after being talked down to by a wanky fucker from the bank. Basically they had made a mistake which I had asked for clarification of as I was worried about my account security.
He was trying to tell me I had misunderstood the situation. Actually attributed this to my ill health which DH told him about when he phoned earlier and I couldn’t speak to him as was still sleeping.
I said to DH I wish I had told him to call me Dr not Mrs as then I may have been treated with more respect. He said I would just have made myself look ridiculous.
Justification makes me feel good so thank you again. It is alarming how much you are talked down to when older and ill.

Ill use my DR title until my dying days! Be proud of your achievement.

I’m worling in a completely different field to the one in which I got my PhD.

I don’t use the title Dr in my work but I would never drop it for everything else. I worked too hard to give it up now!

Yes of course. Prof more complex as stated.

I said to DH I wish I had told him to call me Dr not Mrs as then I may have been treated with more respect

Oh god yes. Always, always use dr on the phone to these wankers. I just love the audible switch in their brain go from speaking to a simple woman to realising you’re cleverer than they are.

And yes, the title comes with the thesis and viva. It’s no different to someone declaring their BSc on a job application when they haven’t ever worked in science.

Why isn’t your dh happy for you to use it? Seems strange. My dh will tell anyone random as if it’s some sort of status symbol that he married a Dr.

Your husband?

Your husband is not happy that you use a qualification you have earned?

You’re going to need it when you get divorced.

Your DH’s career history, earnings and IQ are all completely bloody irrelevant to the fact that you have a PhD.

You earned the title, of course you can use it.

How can your title make him feel stupid? His insecurities are his own business.

Of course you can use it. You have earnt it and being retired makes no difference.
Sounds as if DH has a chip on his shoulder!
Oh and change your bank account ID and have it printed on your cheques if you still have them!!!

Your husband sounds like a jealous twat who has an inferiority complex

I will always be a Dr. Thankfully DH has one too and gets it!

DH was once mislabelled as the Reverend Dr on our phone bill. He had to call the BT helpline for something and got a young man from Ireland on the phone; DH says he has never felt so revered in all his life I think that may be as close as men get to recognising the existence of the respect gap between them and us....

It's no different to any of your other qualifications, you don't retire your A levels...

Sounds like he has some issues. Whether you want to go there is a whole different question.

I haven't worked in academia for years but still use it with banks etc and particularly in medical settings where the default is to be patronised and talked down to. I bloody earned it!

Your husband, how dare he!

Your problem is not what title you use -- is your husband normally so belittling of you? Does he actually think you use your academic title to make him look bad, even though it sounds as if he is at least part of the reason you didn't have a fully-fledged academic career?

If you have a PhD you worked bloody hard for and are entitled to be called Dr for ever. I intend to always use mine. I don’t understand why some people have a problem with it

My DH is not happy for me to use it

Good lord! Why are men like this? FS. Whenever I feel like a barren old spinster, I read something like this and feel - well, relief.

But to answer your question instead of being rude sensible about your DH - I'm a Professor & have a personal title as well.

But I also have a PhD. The PhD is the title I have earned - it is mine. It is not dependent on my job, or my birth.

When I retire, if I'm made Emerita, I can still use that title, but as I rarely use it while I'm working now (and haven't really used it much in the 15 years I've been a Prof). To me, my title 'Professor' is my job description.

I will go to the grave as Doctor (and a proper one, not just an undergrad MB BS). If I'm asked my title, I say 'Dr'.

Your DH is wrong ,ad just how nasty & passive-aggressive is he over other stuff?

Definitely call yourself Dr Woodpigeons from now on. For eternity. If I were you I'd also be insisting my DH used that name for me from now on too

My 87 yr old father is a retired Prof emeritus and he doesn't use his title and I really wish he would.
He has noticed a complete change in the way he is treated when people find out his title in healthcare settings ..they know he isn't medical but the slightly patronising attitude often conveyed to the elderly comes to a halt , completely wrong but that's reality.

I agree - you earned it.

But isn't that the case for a professor as well if it's a personal chair earned through promotion?

The chair is a job title not a qualification though.