Academics using 'Dr' - wankerish?

[RevoltingPeasant]

On the day I got my PhD, the first thing my mum said to me when I rang to say I'd passed was, 'Oh, I do hope you won't call yourself Dr, it's so pretentious...

...and congratulations!'

Anywho, I never get called Dr except on my office door and in rejection letters from journals. But I think most academics do use it in civilian life. I kinda want to. Does this make me a smug git, especially because my subject specialism is in something entirely useless to humanity literature?

Thinkingof4 - I don't quite follow. Medical emergency in the street - someone shouts for a doctor - if one makes themselves known, great. No written 'proof' involved, generally - would you stop and ask someone to show e.g. their bank card first, when someone needs CPR? (Not that your average medic would necessarily be the person you want there, you're far luckier if someone with an up-to-date first aid qualification is passing). Do you honestly think that you habitually get Drs. as in PhDs jumping in to try out their first aid skills on collapsed geriatrics outside M&S? And for someone whose fantasy is wandering around 'pretending to be medical' - it would be far easier to have a set of fake cards printed up for that very eventuality, than it would be to do a PhD.

On a plane - Joe Bloggs collapses in the aisle - staff hurry to seat 13A where Dr. Nonwanker sits, peacably writing his talk for the Atmospheric Science conference he's about to attend - No sorry I'm not a medic - right-ho, fine!

? Don't see that this is such a terrible everyday problem. But yes, if it is, then medical doctors should go by MD after their names, and PhDs use the title Dr., as for medics this is an honorary. Tis easy.

SevenAgainstThebes - 'xactly.

Use it! Everyone in our family uses theirs, it shows you have worked hard for it. I would also be surprised if anyone didn't use theirs in an academic environment, it is important to show you are fully qualified (we have a friend who hasn't quite completed his but is a Dean of a newer University, do you work somewhere like that?).
I also use it because it gets past the Mrs, Miss, Ms Mr rubbish.

Don't see the point in doing it outside an academic environment.

But Vess why is it any more pointless than calling yourself Mrs? Both are titles that we gain, so why is 'Mrs' not wankerish and 'Dr' is?

Why use any title?? Why not just use you first name/last name?

Although I have to confess I do have a little smile to myself when the person I know who has a phd in some sort of turkey behaviour uses Dr.

Wottinger, Excellent point.

Has anyone actually said they use a title when they don't have to? I think it's been agreed that its wankerish to foist any title on people (see ShoutyHamster's excellent 'Susie Wanker' example at 9.57 this morning). But sometimes one is asked, and has to answer somehow.

And I still want one of the naysayers to answer Wottinger's question about using Mrs.

Maisie sorry if this was unclear - I don't use any title mostly - I am Revolting to all my students, neighbours, GPs, everyone and anyone.

But, some situations require you to have a title. My bank just required me to give one when opening an account. When I saw a specialist recently, he asked me if I was 'Mrs or Miss Peasant'. Etc. I would never, ever introduce myself as Dr Peasant, and don't know anyone who would use the PhD that way - but that's because we don't generally use titles at all.

But my original Q was, is it wanky to use Dr when required to give a title, rather than Ms, which I have always used outside work up till now. My extremely scientific straw poll of MN suggests that either it isn't, or it is a bit but who cares, so now I will :)

Yes, I also want to know about the Mrs! Mind you, s'pose snagging a man is harder than writing a doctoral thesis.

Perhaps snagging a husband is regarded by some as a greater achievement for a woman than writing a doctoral thesis?

Is a very good question...
and if you have both snagged a man and written a doctoral thesis which should take precedence?

Now this is where the philosophy part of the doctorate comes in ....

Snagging a husband when you already have a doctoral thesis is the greatest triumph of all. Bluestockings are rarely seen as good wife material and thus only the supremely fortunate and wily can hope for a proposal. That's why married Drs should draw a veil over their bookish tendencies and favour Mrs in public.

Someone posted about initials after name too.

Warning - stealth boasting alert !

I've sometimes wondered how you find out what they should be.
I've got an "Advanced Diploma in Professional Studies (Early Years)"
What would the initials for that be do you think ?
Perhaps I could ask the Uni that gave it to me ?
I also have a PGCE and wonder are the initials for that CertEd or PGCE ?

< wonders if some bright spark is going to post that my post-name initials would most fittingly be W.A.N.K.E.R ! >

If asked her title, a lady should always reply 'Brigadier!'

B.U.M.C.H.E.E.S.E (Dip.)

Veronica!

I have found that people become incredibly threatened by those who seemingly have more achievements or intelligence and become quite defensive about their own. If they don't feel they measure up, it becomes a matter of destroying the worth of others... "PhD? Doctor is so pretentious."

Those who matter, don't mind. And for those who mind, don't matter.

Snagging a husband while you are writing your PhD thesis must be quite common. I know three couples where the woman was the PhD student and their husband was their PhD supervisor.

Perhaps we don't have enough titles here (earned titles, not aristo). Don't the Germans have one for Engineers? - which there is correctly a highly-respected profession and heck, doesn't it show in their exports.

Really Beta?? I don't know any, thank goodness!

I'm Kladd Kaka T.L1.SCert and proud of it.

(Tadpoles Level 1 Swimming Certificate)

My PhD supervisor's wife kept ringing him up whenever I had a meeting with him.

Now I know why.

He was ancient, though.