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

You should be really proud that you have a PhD but I don’t understand the need to make sure everyone knows unless it’s in a professional setting. What is it actual reason you are using it? Is it so people will know you are clever and hardworking? I mean those are admirable traits but do you think people who don’t know you care? You are trying to 8mpress strangers? Why? Do you worry that people don’t think you are clever?
Everyone you are close to will already know.

I find it odd, old fashioned and pompous to use Doctor outside of work.

I’m definitely not PhD material but don’t feel the need to impress people with my many talents 😊

If you're teaching in academia then be prepared for students to ignore it and call you Miss while expressing respect and deference to your male colleagues who they promote to professor

@MoreLikeThis

You should be really proud that you have a PhD but I don’t understand the need to make sure everyone knows unless it’s in a professional setting. What is it actual reason you are using it? Is it so people will know you are clever and hardworking? I mean those are admirable traits but do you think people who don’t know you care? You are trying to 8mpress strangers? Why? Do you worry that people don’t think you are clever? Everyone you are close to will already know. I find it odd, old fashioned and pompous to use Doctor outside of work.

I’m definitely not PhD material but don’t feel the need to impress people with my many talents 😊

Because it is her title. It's no different to using Mrs to 'show off' to strangers that she's married.

@Skysblue

My sister accidentally signed up for something as ‘princess’

Could be worse

It’s fine

How did your sister manage that?!

Congrats OP, it's fine! You've reminded me of years ago when I bumped into a friend in the library, he was talking about a doctor friend of his then he said "a real doctor, not a medical one" which made me pause for a few seconds

I always pick whatever title I want when filling in forms because I think they're all a load of mumbo jumbo. I'm not married, I hate "Ms", I don't really see what difference it makes what I have in front of my name. So sometimes I pick Mr, sometimes Dr, sometimes Lady (if it's an option). On my Co-Op card I am "Wing Commander".

A good friend of mine who sadly died had a PhD and selectively used Dr. Always used it at work (in a university) and he always did at the bank. His reasoning was that the Manager was a complete knob over something and it pissed him off when he did use it.

Nothing wrong with using Dr, because that's what you now are. Just don't stand up if you are on a plane and someone shouts for a Doctor!!

On my Co-Op card I am "Wing Commander".

🤣

Congratulations on getting your PhD and don't be embarrassed about it.

totally fine!

you worked hard for that title and are entitled to using it.

congrats!

Morning! @MoreLikeThis well, I’ll be honest, there WAS an element of being proud of it, and also of novelty factor, but mainly I’ve started using it because I’m not keen on either Miss or Ms.
Miss- I feel too old for this, feel patronised by it, and also think it’s nobody else’s business whether I’m married or not. I haven’t chosen this for myself for ages, but it was the ‘default’ others tended to use for me, especially in documents at work. It irritates me.

Ms- what I have used since I was about 25 up until now. Maybe it’s just the circles I move in, but I really don’t think many married women choose Ms? I felt as though I was still announcing singleness / unmarriedness, except adding an additional connotation of also being a feminist. I AM a feminist, so I don’t care about that per se, but again it’s not really anyone’s business and the assumption was still that I’m unmarried (and clearly people still thought of me as Miss regardless, as mentioned above).

@rose69 this answers your question too I think

To be clear I have no opinion whatsoever on the titles other people choose to use, if they are happy then I am happy! But for me, this is why using Dr is a relief.

Haha another one who automatically thought of friends when Ross is at the hospital and keeps dropping the 'dr' title and Rachel tells him to stop it as it actually means something there 😆. GP's have very limited time with patients these days though so I doubt they read your full details to know what your occupation is and you didn't tick anything that was incorrect.

GP here - congratulations! A PhD is a huge accomplishment . Use your title with pride everywhere!

There is nothing wrong at all with using your title as Dr

You earned it. It is yours. It is not restricted to professional contexts.

I totally agree with you about it being great to have a title that is not about marital status.

Your GP won't care. They will be doing their job not worrying about honorifics.

Congrats OP, it's fine! You've reminded me of years ago when I bumped into a friend in the library, he was talking about a doctor friend of his then he said "a real doctor, not a medical one" which made me pause for a few seconds

Medical doctors have 2 bachelors not a doctorate, that's why surgeons use 'Mr' as a title. It's an inverted snobbery because they're medical doctors with a doctorate.

I’m going to disagree, I don’t think you should have put yourself as Dr as to me it means a medical doctor.
It is ok to use yours in a university/ job type setting.
If I were you I’d change it at the surgeries as I think it’s embarrassing.

My ex is dr so that's his title, no different to ms. Don't overthink it

@Chocolatebutton43 not enough women use their academic titles, we need to go for it and be proud! Took me 7 years of slog, and I’d rather have it over a Mrs or Miss defining my marital status.
Please use it! Hopefully it will encourage others to do so too

@StrawScarecrow

That's brilliant, I accidentally ticked admiral once, top of the list (alphabetically) but school saw the funny side

I don’t think you should have put yourself as Dr as to me it means a medical doctor.

The OP shouldn't use the title she earned because you're too stupid to realise that there are different types of dr? That's your problem not hers!

My friend's dad is high up in the Anglican church, but I was still shocked to get a wedding invite from "The Venerable Doctor John Smith". Irrelevant, but if it is your title, you are allowed to use and choose it, just like Ms. Vs Mrs.

I've only read the first page, I say go for it, it doesn't really matter.
But I'm surprised there are so many positives here as on another thread it was very much looked down upon.
Hence my username .

Use it all the time. Congratulations. It's a massive achievement so be proud and don't let The Stupid pull you down.

Don't feel awkward - you worked hard for that PhD and you're fully entitled to use it. My husband uses his as his default title including at the GP surgery.

Congratulations!! Such a monumental achievement. May we ask what you are a Dr of?