To sign up at the surgery as ‘Dr’

[Chocolatebutton43]

I got my PhD two months ago, moved to a new place and signed up to a new doctor’s surgery and dental practice.

Filling in the forms, I got a bit carried away with my new title and ticked the ‘dr’ box! I’ve been doing it a lot lately for silly little things partly ‘cause I’m just happy to have finished and passed my degree and also because I relish that I am no longer defined by my marital status.

But, I now need to visit the surgery and I feel like an idiot. The form also had occupation so the doctor will know I’m not a medical doctor. Is he/she going to think I am a total prat for using Dr outside my work and at the doctor’s surgery of all places? Cringe

I don't this my GP has ever asked me what I'm a doctor of - it's not a unique label so I think you're over thinking this.

Congratulations btw.

Probably, yes. It sounds like you were just excited about your PhD (well done by the way!) I'm sure people have done a lot worse so don't feel too bad about it.

I wouldn't cringe OP, it's fine

Nah not at all! I certainly wouldn’t think you were a prat.

But you are a Dr! What is there to be embarrassed about?

Congratulations!

Not at all, it's fine.

Most people, or at least, those with a public facing role don't assume that 'Dr' automatically means medical doctor.

My friends husband is a Dr an astrophysicist, he had it on his passport and when someone was ill on a plane and he was really embarrassed when an airline steward asked him to help after looking at the manifesto.

You should be proud, it is a wonderful achievement! Your doctor won't judge you.

Totally fine OP! You are a Dr

You're massively overthinking this, in the nicest possible way no one else cares. Congrats on your PhD, use your title you earned it!

Oh and I put YABU as I was a little confused which one to pick. YABU to have ticked the Dr box and to be worrying about it.

Well done on your PhD!
Ah don't over think it (and I say that as someone with a lovely but slightly irritating BIL who gets most upset when companies address him as Mr and insists they change his title to Dr on their records... )

Don't worry! I'm a doctor and as a student I worked at a GP where we had a lot of university academics. Loads had dr as their title and weren't medical doctors

Go for it, you've earned it, use it! Own it!

I signed up to a conference as "wing commander scarecrow" recently as I was annoyed at being compelled to disclose my gender and marital status. That's silly. Using a title you have fully earned is 100% not silly!

It's a title you have earned, use it.

You are entitled to use the title, so do so.

Congratulations on your PhD

Oh this is funny!

Demand that your GP addresses you as DR Chocolatebutton43

Since I got my PhD I have used Dr, mainly because it allowed me to avoid Miss or Mrs. Your GP surgery will have many Dr patients and many of those will not be medical

It's fine. You can ask for it to be put on your records that you aren't a medical Doctor. IME when you are called in for your appointment you are called first name, surname. My title has never been used as on the computer appointment list no title shows up.

This reminds me of Friends when Ross introduces himself as Dr. Geller at the hospital and Rachel hisses "Ross, that's means something here!" cos she always denied he was a "real" doctor

Thanks, glad most so far seem to think it’s not too serious! It is still a novelty and I am enjoying using it so much. I totally loathe ‘miss’. Before the phd I used Ms, but when other people wrote my name and assumed a title they mostly used Miss and I just feel it’s so infantalising. Being Dr is much better!
And thanks for the congratulations

Use it. You earned it.

If I’d earned a phd I’d make dh address me as dr.

I'd be genuinely interested to know if anyone at the GP surgery ever calls you anything other than 'Ms' anyway.

@StrawScarecrow I love that you used wing commander!