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?

kelly2000 surely it depends what area you practise in. If you're a surgeon then maybe, if you are a physician then maybe not.

autumnwitch I absolutely love the "which one?" Can I also point out that having Dr on your bank card makes it easier to lend it to DH if he hasn't got his! Mrs would get some looks as he's 6ft 4!

Also kelly my thoughts exactly!! It isn't about external validation. Also resh honestly, if someone persisted in calling you 'Miss' would you consider it grand to correct them on the grounds that being married doesn't need external validation?

My DM and DH have this argument often (in a caring, sharing way.... ) She is a GP, he has a PhD in Psychology.... 'What use is that going to be in a war?' is a favourite comment of my mum's

To help DH in his never-ending quest for professional standing in the home (as it were...) I got him a T-shirt with the inscription: 'Trust me, I'm a Doctor'. He wears it often, now - DM loves it

All good fun and games!

(And no, I don't think it's pretentious for DH to want to be called Doctor when, as others have mentioned, he worked bloody hard for it! He, on the other hand, objects to my using my Masters which isn't a real one - it's an M.A. (Oxon.) by-one-for£15 one; love it!!!)

Yes, scientist - normal thing was/is AFAIK 3 year BSc, 3+ years PhD. Some did MSc if they hadn't got a 1/2:1 to start with (back in the days before grade inflation ). Only a few places like Oxford did 4 year undergrad (and they, as mentioned, perversely award MA)

kelly - no, that's if you're a surgical doctor, as discussed previously

Ah yes am thinking of my friend who did an 'MA' (I'm pretty sure!!) in engineering at Ox whereas I just bought mine for a tenner.

Yup, Grimma that's the only reason I have one... an M.A. that is. Took me all of 15 minutes to apply for.....

(Slight contrast with DH and his actual M.A. and PhD.....)

"I take a certain amount of pleasure when answering the phone to a request to speak to "Dr AutumnWitch" with "which one?" "

I love that one!

I get 'can I speak to Dr Tw2k' 'Speaking' 'Oh'....long pause... 'are you sure you are Dr Tw2k?'....

Grima/BrigadierRevoltingPeasant - just clarifying for the record - in sciences, in the UK and NZ and Australia, BSc +/- honours year, then straight into PhD is normal. But in Canada, USA, lots of other places - undergrad -> masters -> PhD is normal.

I have a science Phd and have never used my title in social or non work situations. In my experience it is the men who tend to use it on bank accounts etc.

That's interesting Grimma! I'm a recent science PhD graduate, and it's BSc, MSc or equivalent, PhD these days. I wonder when/why it changed?

I'm from NZ Anna1976, and you certainly need a Masters (or Honours) to get into a science PhD at the major universities. I'm in the US now, and interestingly at my current university they go straight from a BS to a (long) PhD. Sounds like that might be unusual though!

I finished my science PhD last year, having gone straight into it from a 3-year undergrad degree. I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about having a masters before you start the PhD - I know plenty of people in both camps and no-one seems to bat an eyelid either way. I didn't do a masters because I couldn't afford the fees.

I use Dr at work (in research, so relevant) and on official forms and the like if a title is mandatory, but couldn't imagine it ever coming up socially. Although my friends and family take great pleasure in addressing letters to me as Dr I do like not having to make the Miss/Ms decision though.

I'm in the UK btw, don't know about other countries wrt the MSc/MRes/MPhil requirement.

Yes, totally wankerish. You asked.

I think the MSc requirement varies by field. The ESRC pretty much insists on a 1+3 model, so its unusual to go straight into a PhD from undergrad (you still can, with other funding, but it's becoming more and more standard to do a masters first).

I have an MA(Hons) and an MSc. the MA is from a Scottish uni, where everyone in certain faculties gets an MA rather than a BA.

I only did a MSc between my first degree and PhD because I didn't get a 2:1 and the BBSRC wouldn't therefore sponsor me. It was either repeat the whole year thanks to being ill during finals, or do a masters, and there wasn't much point in the former.

And only finished the PhD as ending up with three masters degrees (MA, MSc, MPhil) would have been ridiculous!

I'm pretty sure the MRC and BBSRC still fund PhDs for students direct from a first degree. Though by the time I finished mine, getting indebted students to apply to be broke for another 3-4 years was a huge problem (1997-2002 - my institute went from about 10 applicants per studentship to around one!)

Brigadier: firstly I must defer to you as my army rank is lower. Seriously though, I take your point - if someone persisted in getting it wrong then of course I would correct them. I was thinking more of the case of a social situation where I'm introduced as Mrs resh. I'd not want to embarrass someone for making an honest mistake.

Over and out.