To correct this?

[TrainsandDiggers]

If your title was Dr and your child’s teacher kept referring to you as Mrs (a fair enough assumption on their part), would you correct them? And if you did, would you sound like you’re a bit up yourself? I’m aware of people correcting to Ms, Miss or Mrs, but not to anything else. TIA

I think only you can make this decision OP based on how important the title is to you. Some people will think you are right to use it, some people will think it’s a bit OTT.

FWIW I am a medical doctor but don’t use the title outside work because I don’t feel the need and don’t like defining myself by my career but I know plenty of female doctors that do use it.

If I'd went to uni for all those years I think I'd be saying to even my children "eh, it's Dr actually"

It wouldn't bother me if children/teachers in a school called me Mrs on passing, but with regards to letters etc I'd be correcting to Dr.

Doctor means teacher and was a title used by those who became masters in their fields - namely theology, law & medicine - c.13th century.

Doctor of Philosophy (philosophy referring to the sciences and other subjects but not theology, law, medicine) came later on.

Doctor as a noun came later still.

The nature of the degrees, doctorates and the profession of medicine have clearly evolved so much over the centuries that it's petty at best to argue over who was called what first. In some countries just by virtue of having a degree you can have the title doctor and, of course, here dentists also can use the title.
Out of the few that I know, dentists are most likely to push the title "Dr" (plus all the letters after their name) outside of work.

(in answer to noctu's question)

I think to actually correct them would sound a bit up yourself. Sorry.

I can definitely see why it annoys you - you worked hard for it and earned it. But I can't see how you can correct them without it sounding bad, so I think you'll have to live with it. However, I would definitely be signing everything you write to them as Dr. And when phoning children in sick or asking questions, etc - 'hi, it's Dr, just letting you know x won't be in today'. Basically sliding it in when possible!!

I always use Mr rather than Dr outside of work. But I acknowledge like most things it’s easier for men as Mr has no connotations regarding marriage. And I was a ‘just’ a Mr once whereas the OP may never have been a Mrs.

I remember a surgeon once telling me he loved “just” being a Mr (the traditional title for surgeons in the UK, once they pass their MRCS) as it meant no-one ever bothered him for medical advice outside of work.

Male of female if at your child's school and you corrected me to Dr I'd roll my eyes and think you were up yourself. Sorry.

You sound precious

I have a PhD but now I'm not teaching I don't use it. If you're a medical doctor then yes correct people. You've earned that title.

And when phoning children in sick or asking questions, etc - 'hi, it's Dr, just letting you know x won't be in today'

This reminds me of a chap calling into Cartalk on NPR and when asked his name he said "Dr. Woods" - about 10 minutes of "did your mother name you after someone in particular" etc followed. .

I don't know any doctors who use their title outside of the workplace.
I have a cousin who is a (medical) professor. He coaches his son's sports team and he's just "John" to all the kids. I couldn't imagine him wanting or expecting them to call him "Professor Smith"

I have a PhD and have my original name so I’m not mrs husbands name nor miss sparklybanana but dr sparklybanana. Would I say it? Yes because the others aren’t correct but I’d say to use my first name cos even after ten years it still seems a little weird. I don’t think it’s a bad thing for kids to ask questions about why I’m called dr. I’m a PhD because I met someone who had a PhD and I thought it sounded great.

"everythingthelighttouches .... i have been into school to do science lessons and then i used Dr. Part of the reason for me going in is to encourage girls into STEM subjects. "

This is just about the ONLY time where it's appropriate to correct a teacher of 30 (primary) or 300 (secondary) about your professional or personal title.

When you are a helper on a trip you are (broadly) Mrs/Mr Child's Name. It's more important that the teacher knows which children are attached to which parents than s/he knows what professional qualifications the parents have. It's not a professional situation. It's a parent situation. Your reason for being there is related to your child and nothing else.

This is not about feminism or demonstrating your importance to others. It's about helping out a hard-pressed underpaid & overworked teacher. I was perfectly happy to be described as 'Beside's Mum'. That's how the other kids thought of me anyway.

I'd think it was a bit pompous tbh

It's just not necessary IMO. The teacher can't be expected to know all of the parents surnames to reel off whenever required. I'm not married, so therefore still go by my surname and yet I'm always referred to as Mrs and DPs surname by the school. Don't sweat over the small stuff.

Haha
Usually trying to get people not to call me Dr as I’m a Surgeon... that goes down well Lol

Why are surgeons not called doctor, Dating? I've always been curious about that!

OP, I'm on the precious side, sorry. I could use (academic) Dr as part of my name but unless it's an official paper, letter or I'm doing my CV, I wouldn't dream of it.

DH is a Dr and would prefer generally to be Mr on things like school trips.

But the point about "proving girls can be doctors" is a little bit silly now that more ladies train to be doctors now than men. The chances of them not having met a lady GP at some point when they've been to the doctors is pretty low. Our practice now is three ladies and a man.

I understand why it grates, particularly because I can't help but think the teacher would remember you were a Dr if you were a man

Another one who thinks this would be less of an issue if a man did it. "Professor" is a job title that you go through specific procedures for at work (at least in the UK). A PhD or MD is a qualification that legally entitles you to change your title on e.g. passport, driving licence, bank card. So you're getting someone's title wrong if they have the qualification and want to use that title. That said, I personally think it's different if you get it wrong for a man, because the alternative (Mr) is not linked to his marital status.

I fucking loath being called "Mrs". It isn't my name. I'm either Ms, or Dr, or my first name. Never fucking Mrs. If people then think I'm up myself, so be it.

Why are surgeons not called doctor

It dates back to a time when the medical profession was very clearly divided into apothecaries, surgeons and physicians. Physicians were much higher status, generally treated the rich, and did not get their hands dirty. They were also the ones qualified to use the title Dr, being university educated. Surgeons were more likely to have been through an apprenticeship system. They treated poorer people. Surgery was dirty and often unsuccessful (pre mid-19th century, changing in the second half of the 19th century). They did not have the status to use the title Dr.

As the professions have changed, surgery has become far more successful and higher status.Surgeons could use the title Dr in the same way GPs do - as an honorific, whether or not they hold an MD. But surgeons will often not want to use the title Dr. It's a kind of "fuck you, I may have been the underdog, but I won and I'm owning it".

I'm always impressed the teacher remembers my name and which child is mine, so no I wouldn't bother correcting them and they probably won't remember next time unless you make a big fuss then they will definitely remember 😁

I agree with @DreamsofJacaranda. I get a tiny bit irritated if people I encounter professionally call me Mr Donkey rather than Dr Donkey, but I would never expect anyone in other settings (including my kids' schools) to address me as Dr. It's an academic title only. In the unlikely event of my ever becoming a professor I wouldn't expect anyone outside a university to address me as Prof Donkey.

Gabilan- thank you! That's interesting.

I think if a man insisted on being called Dr in a school playground setting, he'd be thought of as a mansplaining arse (especially if the teacher was a MNer

Additionally, as seen on this thread, there are so many people around that could call themselves Dr, it's really no biggie.

Teachers managing to match kids to parents is hard enough, without having to remember the parents' jobs and qualifications.

@IDoLoveToBeBesideTheSeaside
Totally agree. Context is everything. This is about helping a teacher who has a million and one things to think about and you’re supposed to be there to take some pressure off, not add to it.

I find people using Dr outside of a work setting pretentious, sorry.