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

•The sciences are harder. Anyone saying this is not the case is deluded.

•There are subjects which have a Micky Mouse tag - for a reason. (Call them what you will...)

•Nowadays, there is an educational dumbing down.

External examinations at upper school level are less challenging.

More Firsts and 2.1s are handed out by all universities than were in the past when there would be a mere handful in a class of 100, for example.

Consequently, more people automatically “do”
a Masters degree than would have done in the past when a post graduate degree was dependent on a genuine First or Upper Second.

Therefore, PhDs are no longer the exception - they are almost the norm in some establishments.

To add to all of this, money is a defining factor. Fees are welcomed and needed by universities that are trying to operate on business models.

I'm down on my medical notes as 'Dr.' because my GP at the time when I passed was a longstanding friend of my parents' and made a huge deal about changing it. Whenever subsequent doctors have asked about it, I tend to say 'Not a real one', but several of them over the years have corrected me and said that actually I'm technically more entitled to use the title than they are.

You've worked blooming hard for your title - be proud of it!

@SarahAndQuack

I don't need to take time to know Biology isn't required; this isn't something I looked up yesterday!

It is not only the brightest students who get places on medical degree courses.

You need a certain basic level of intelligence and academic competence; you also need lots of other skills that aren't strictly academic (not a surprise as it's a vocational degree). And you need a work ethic.

Do you actually know anyone who's done a PhD in medicine and then in another subject? I do. A PhD is a PhD. They're hard. I've never heard of anyone getting into the 'my PhD was harder than yours' debate because it would make them sound as if they lacked the basic intelligence to have done a PhD.

You need more than “a basic level of intelligence and academic competence...” that’s selling medical students a bit short!

Biology is most definitely on the list of preferred A-levels for medicine. As I explained, you may not need it if you have physics, maths, further maths, chemistry but it’s definitely on the list of acceptable subjects.

Not many people would do a PhD in medicine and a PhD in a completely different subject, so it’s highly unlikely many people would know anyone that you describe. (Other than you of course)

I never said a PhD wasn’t hard. I’m sure they are very hard.

Plenty of people do PhDs in medicine. Where do you think research medics come from?

(And the list of acceptable, non-essential A Level subjects for medicine is huge, for obvious reasons.)

@Janegrey333

•The sciences are harder. Anyone saying this is not the case is deluded.

•There are subjects which have a Micky Mouse tag - for a reason. (Call them what you will...)

•Nowadays, there is an educational dumbing down.

External examinations at upper school level are less challenging.

More Firsts and 2.1s are handed out by all universities than were in the past when there would be a mere handful in a class of 100, for example.

Consequently, more people automatically “do”
a Masters degree than would have done in the past when a post graduate degree was dependent on a genuine First or Upper Second.

Therefore, PhDs are no longer the exception - they are almost the norm in some establishments.

To add to all of this, money is a defining factor. Fees are welcomed and needed by universities that are trying to operate on business models.

Absolutely spot on!

I have phd and I am sahm. Last time I discussed about it was with junior doctor in his psychiatry rotation. He was impressed that I was actually dr.

A PhD isn't a doddle. You earned the title, so blooming well use it!

@SarahAndQuack

(And the list of acceptable, non-essential A Level subjects for medicine is huge, for obvious reasons.)

It’s really not. They have essential ones that you must have. Not sure why you keep saying Biology isn’t needed at all at a-level either....

Here is a link with the different uni entry criteria for medicine. Biology features quite a lot.

www.medschools.ac.uk/media/2701/msc-entry-requirements-for-uk-medical-schools-2021.pdf

It really is.

That link confirms what I've said.

Well I never knew there was so much spikeyness and resentment from PhD holders about medical doctors being called Doctor!

To be honest this sort of 'they're really not all that you know, compared to me' posting is making me think less of academics.

Again, a PhD in medicine or the like, will be harder than a PhD in say sociology....

That's not true @TableFlowerss

If anything, I would say some science PhDs are slightly easier than other PhDs because they are more objective.

@SarahAndQuack

It really is.

That link confirms what I've said.

Pretty sure it says Biology is very much on the list of A-levels required.

You said it wasn’t needed...

SarahAndQuack
I don't need to take time to know Biology isn't required; this isn't something I looked up yesterday!

I don't think anyone is saying medical doctors 'aren't all that'.

I think people are just saying that dismissing PhDs as 'not real doctors' who must be full of themselves, is silly, and it's also silly to think either qualification is just a measure of cleverness. Doctors have to have a certain level of intelligence. So do PhD candidates. But TBH mostly they have to work very hard.

There's no need for the anti-intellectualism on this thread, because when you call yourself 'Dr' (medical or PhD), you're not saying 'look, look how smart I am'. You're using a qualification you earned. That's the point.

@orangenasturtium

Again, a PhD in medicine or the like, will be harder than a PhD in say sociology....

That's not true @TableFlowerss

If anything, I would say some science PhDs are slightly easier than other PhDs because they are more objective.

But maths is more objective as a subject yet many people struggle with it and find the more subjective subject easier. I actually agree from a personal perspective though, I hated English! Too subjective - give me maths any day of the week

I never said people that don’t chose them aren’t capable. What I’m saying is, most people would struggle to get top marks in those 4 subjects. It would be extremely difficult.

It is also really difficult to get a PhD in any subject .... it's really shitty to try and undermine that just because it isn't medicine. Anyone awarded a PhD has earned the right to use Dr as a title and should applauded not told it's irrelevant or not as hard as medicine.

As for Mickey Mouse subjects - I'd love a definition of what is considered a Mickey Mouse subject. Those that often get quoted on here either don't exist or actually have excellent graduate employability.

@TableFlowerss - how about reading the link?

@saraclara I don't think any PHD holders are saying that. What they're saying is that someone with a PHD is just as entitled to call themselves doctor too!

I'm pretty sure maths becomes subjective at PhD level, if it isn't before.

@SueEllenMishke

I never said people that don’t chose them aren’t capable. What I’m saying is, most people would struggle to get top marks in those 4 subjects. It would be extremely difficult.

It is also really difficult to get a PhD in any subject .... it's really shitty to try and undermine that just because it isn't medicine. Anyone awarded a PhD has earned the right to use Dr as a title and should applauded not told it's irrelevant or not as hard as medicine.

As for Mickey Mouse subjects - I'd love a definition of what is considered a Mickey Mouse subject. Those that often get quoted on here either don't exist or actually have excellent graduate employability.

The same argument could be said from a medical doctors perspective. There’s a one a few posts up.

Are you suggesting that all degrees are all equal.... of course they’re not.

Art, Drama and the like aren’t considered as hard as maths, chemistry....

[quote SarahAndQuack]@TableFlowerss - how about reading the link?[/quote]
I think you’re the one that needs to read the link, particularly the entry requirements for undergraduate medicine!!!

You said that Biology is not needed at a-level to study medicine.

You’re wrong.

@saraclara

Well I never knew there was so much spikeyness and resentment from PhD holders about medical doctors being called Doctor!

To be honest this sort of 'they're really not all that you know, compared to me' posting is making me think less of academics.

The same argument could be said from a medical doctors perspective. There’s a one a few posts up.
I've never said that a medical doctor doesn't deserve the title Dr or hasn't earned it.

Are you suggesting that all degrees are all equal.... of course they’re not.

Art, Drama and the like aren’t considered as hard as maths, chemistry....

You can't compare different subjects directly. They require very different skill sets.

Art and Drama degrees are still subject to the same validation and quality assurance processes as Maths and Science degrees. Students are still expected to perform to degree/masters/PhD level. It's insulting to suggest otherwise.

I have a PhD but was advised by my lovely dr not to use it in medical circumstances just because the explanations take on a medicalised bent and assumptions are made about what you know. He didn't let on to hospital drs that he was a gp when he was treated for something serious.

Saying that when i first graduated it went on every form i filled in. Now i just save it for the bank , school and gobshites 😁

I’d love to know what qualifications @TableFlowerss and @Janegrey333 have. All this talk about how “hard” exams and PhDs are- you both sound about 14!