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?

interesting, am graduating in under a month and wondering to what extent to use it..... Knid i am considering changing my mnet name to DrConcordia at least.

And yes, congratulations!

Agree with others, you worked hard for it, you use it.

One tip from husband though, don't put it on your passport. Unless you can perform heart surgery at 40 000 ft.

I generally don't use a title at all, just plain Iam Catsrus - but if I get "the system needs me to put something in the title field, is that Mrs or Miss Catsrus?" then they get Dr . It is my correct title, if one is needed and some computer systems have been set up so that you really do need to put something in that field.

No way. A PhD is bloody hard and you should show off a bit.

Well done Doctor RevoltingPeasant.

Contrary to a medical Doctor, who "is" a Doctor but doesn't have the title Doctor

yes - unless they've done a higher degree in addition to normal stuff, medics 'Doctor' is honourary. I've an uncle who's a GP who send me a note when I got my PhD saying it was nice to have a real doctor in the family at last

member, my DH used to have Dr on his bank card (indicating his PhD) until a waiter in our local Indian restaurant came up and asked him what his chances were with liver cancer.

As for me, I am Dr Fluffyanimal at work and Mrs DHname everywhere else, as much because people assume that's what I'll be called when with DH and/or the children. But stand up for your right to use the title you earned!

Not pretentious at all.

I'd love to do a PhD so then I could be a Dr nurse! That would confuse people

you've bloody worked hard for it - show it off if you want.
but it's not just showing off, it's your right to use it as your title.

it obviously all stemmed from your mum's comment.

I don't use mine but work in the NHS & feel it would be too confusing. I also know a Dr Love.... How many are there, I wonder?!

I find it a bit pointless and misleading, tbh. I like my doctors to be medically trained.

I'm with youcatrus
I avoid the title thing but when asked, it's Dr my birthsurname.
I use two names though, so when using my married name I stick with Ms.

That said, I have a Ph.D. and a medical degree so am a doctor of both sorts but the latter of those two degree's I don't feel confers title of Doctor, it makes me a Doctor by profession.

Most medical Doctors do not think it's unreasonable for a a PhD to call themselves Doctor.

Congratulations!!!

I tend to introduce myself with my first name (slightly less unpronouncable than my surname), but if people ask for title I do say "Dr". It took me 10 years and three degrees to get it so worth using it!! I do get really annoyed though when people say Dr and Mrs and won't hear the Mr and Dr correction!

DH uses Dr at work (moved out of academia but still works in a science based commercial business) and for stuff where he thinks it might help - banks, booking flights/hotels etc!

I'm a little jealous of his 'title' to be honest. Trying to work out how to become 'Lady Pomme' to compete

GetOff you can't call your Dr. in the NHS if you are patient facing.
It's bad form. You can of course tell them you have a PhD.

Halfterm yes your Doctor will be medically trained, it's got bugger all to do with title though.

Surgeons go by Mr! They rank so highly, they drop the Dr. and call themselves Mr. to differentiate themselves.

Use it, you earned it and are entitled. Be proud of your achievement.

And remember if you really want to wind a surgeon up you call them Dr.

I don't think it's wankerish at all.

If I had a PhD, I'd call myself Dr. and I'd correct people if they said Mrs.

I like showing off though

call yourself that should be.

Would you be happy with a male surgeon called Mr. halfterm. Good luck finding one that isn't.

world it certainly does annoy them doesn't it

Agree with those who say to use it, but don't be over-zealous where it doesn't matter. DH uses his partly because it was achieved through blood, sweat and tears (not all of which were his!).

Has only caused confusion once, when someone knocked on the door asking DH to help our rather odd neighbour, who had fallen and asked this passer-by to fetch DH as he was a doctor. DH called an ambulance and helped as best he could - but it did confirm neighbour was as nosy as we suspected as we had never mentioned the 'Dr' business!

I only use it in academic contexts unless I really need to pull rank when dealing with banks, insurance companies or medical receptionists.

I think most people would think you are a medic.

My mother went through a (short!) phase of addressing letters to DH and myself 'Dr and Mrs Nome' ... grrr!