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

Stick with the Dr title because you have earned it!!!! Huge congratulations 👏🏼

I've no advice other than to use it. Be proud of your hard work.

Congratulations on your PhD.

Yes! Lol the receptionist who puts any details on the computer will

*Then the next obstacle is how prestigious is the establishment you attended. Oxbridge obviously at the top followed by the RG universities.

Getting a 2.2 from a uni 122 on the Times University rankings isn’t going to hold the same weight as a 2:1 from a RG uni on an application form*

Not all top class uni’s are RG. Bath, Lancaster, Loughborough and St Andrews for example.

I went to a non-RG uni. It is one of the most respected in the world, especially for my particular subject. I had Professors calling me final year to ask if I had a PhD place.

RG is a marketing ploy. It does not always reflect on how good the graduates are.

RG is a marketing ploy. It does not always reflect on how good the graduates are.

This! It's one of the greatest marketing campaigns ever! 😂😂

@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 are proud of your achievement why not, I would do the same.

@Whu020

Yes! Lol the receptionist who puts any details on the computer will

OK, first, hello Yoda.

Second, you genuinely think the GP’s receptionist will laugh? What, at the upstart OP thinking she can impersonate a doctor? How utterly bizarre to have such a low view of the receptionist.

Just to add to discussion, medical doctors do not finish their studies at medical school. Most will complete 1 or 2 sets of postgraduate examinations before qualifying as a GP or hospital consultant. Many will study for a MD or PhD along the way.

And to answer a previous poster, I have worked with a nurse with a PhD who called herself doctor x, but her title was nurse consultant and she still wore nursing uniform.

You'd think they'd just put out an announcement asking for a medic, like usual.

Years ago, I was returning from one of the main scientific conferences in my field, and quite a few of the other attendees were also on the same flight.

After the lights went down, I stuck in my earphones and went to sleep... only to be awakened apologetically by a flight attendant asking wearily if I was a medical doctor.

I gather they must have made the usual "Is there a doctor on board?" announcement, received no volunteers, and then looked through the passenger manifest for people with the title Dr.

Of which there must have been several dozen on board, none of whom would have been medics. My surname is very late in the alphabet, so they must have been getting desperate by that time.

Definition NU.

You earned that title so rock it like absolute b*tch.

@bluebluezoo

*Then the next obstacle is how prestigious is the establishment you attended. Oxbridge obviously at the top followed by the RG universities.

Getting a 2.2 from a uni 122 on the Times University rankings isn’t going to hold the same weight as a 2:1 from a RG uni on an application form*

Not all top class uni’s are RG. Bath, Lancaster, Loughborough and St Andrews for example.

I went to a non-RG uni. It is one of the most respected in the world, especially for my particular subject. I had Professors calling me final year to ask if I had a PhD place.

RG is a marketing ploy. It does not always reflect on how good the graduates are.

Yes I agree with you that not all top unis are in the RG. I remember years ago looking at universities and Lancaster and St Andrews we’re always high up.

I’ve done this - purely not to be defined by marital status. It seems to annoy one or two people ( one friend in particular) but most people do not over think it and accept it as a qualification. Medical doctors are aware there are other kinds!

An ex of mines once bought me a novelty gift. It was a square ft of land so I could have the title Lady. (I think you can buy them online for like 20 quid)

In my early twenties I regularly used the title Lady!!

Congratulations on the Phd. Use the title with pride?

@SphJane that is amazing. I know what’s going on my Christmas list!

@SueEllenMishke

But why would they have been excluded in the past? Genuine question. It was free until about 1998 or thereabouts? My boyfriend at the time was the last year group whereby there was no such thing as tuition fees. It surely would have been easier to go back in the day, especially for the truly academic.

The cost of a degree is actually irrelevant ( which I know sounds odd). There is no real evidence that the cost of a degree influences decisions to go to university but is does impact on the choice of university.
There are deep rooted structural inequalities in society which meant certain groups of people didn't apply to university or weren't accepted. For example, Working class children were expected to leave school and start earning - university was seen as the preserve of the elite. I do research on this subject and I've lost count of the number of times I've heard ' people like me don't go to university' or 'people like me don't go to that university'.

Then the next obstacle is how prestigious is the establishment you attended. Oxbridge obviously at the top followed by the RG universities
This was the exact topic of my masters and my PhD. It's real issue which needs addressing.

Getting a 2.2 from a uni 122 on the Times University rankings isn’t going to hold the same weight as a 2:1 from a RG uni on an application form
It depends on the subject. I teach at an ex-poly but we're a centre of excellence for my subject and my students are very employable internationally.

Plus not everyone wants to enter an elite career and a 2:2 form an ex-poly can still be life changing for some people.

I do agree with a lot of what you’re saying. I came from a working class back myself and further education was never deemed particularly relevant. It was assumed I’d get a job and pay may way.

I was the first in my family to go to university. Whilst I don’t regret it, if I had my time again, I would chose a degree in a field I wanted to go in to.

Perhaps that’s part of my issue, I never knew what I wanted to do as a career. So I just ‘floated about’ and chose a degree that was deemed acceptable in many fields.

I got a 2.1 and enjoyed it but it wasn’t my passion. I could have worked harder. The people from my course that really used their degree, had the passion, ambition and wanted to go in to that field. Incidentally one did go on to a prestigious uni to do their Phd. I’m still in touch with them on social media. They were excellent though. Got 70+ in all their assignments. It seemed to come naturally.

RG universities have clout by virtue of being part of a particular, highly regarded group. Those chortling at that fact clearly did not attend one.

Here in the USA, I cannot think of one PhD who does not use "Dr." as a prefix to their name, in both professional settings and in daily life. I introduce all of my PhD holding friends as "Dr." or "Dr. and Mrs." or Mr. and Dr." They worked hard for that title, and more power to them. AND YOU!

Congratulations of course you should use it!
(But never on planes!! My medical doctor plus 2 PhDs Aunt never ever puts Dr on plane tickets as her speciality means she has to remember stuff she hasn’t used in 30 yrs in order to be of use in an emergency - she does own up if they can’t find anyone else!)

RG universities have clout by virtue of being part of a particular, highly regarded group. Those chortling at that fact clearly did not attend one.

While I didn't attend one I have have worked at two.
All universities are members of a particular mission group. The Russell Group is one such group. The focus of this group is research excellence which doesn't necessarily equate to excellent teaching or results.

@SueEllenMishke

Having a degree was a big deal because they didn’t give them out like toffee apples.

Disgusting and insulting comment.

That dies not make it any less true.

It doesn't make it true at all. Universities have policies and procedures in place around assessment and awards. Nobody is just giving away degrees.

Not the case.

Even kids nowadays, looking at past papers in their A Level subjects, know - and acknowledge - that papers in the “olden days” were much more challenging. Subjects that are completely based on examinations are obviously going to be much more scary for little snowflakes.

This same situation is replicated at universities in the present time. Furthermore it’s been apparent for years.

People who are not being disingenuous and putting a positive spin on this, accept it. They have no choice. It is the way things are in the current system.

@HerewardTheWoke

The 'Dr' title for most medics is technically what's known as a courtesy title, as most of them don't have an academic doctoral qualification.

So hell yeah, you should use it, you're the real Doctor!

THIS.

Medical doctors are given the title as a courtesy/honorary title. PhD students have a doctorate, and are therefore 'real' doctors.
DH is a PhD (respiratory toxicologist). He studied for his initial degree then another 4 years to get his PhD, so much longer than a medical degree. He does not use his title in real life.
On the odd occasion when he did, I was heavily pregnant at the time and we were buying a car. The paperwork was all filled out, the car salesperson looked at the paperwork, then up at me with a massive pregnant belly, and asked "will you be delivering the baby Doctor?". How we laughed. "I fu**ing hope not", I said.
As a vet nurse, I believe the law was changed a few years ago to allow vets to call themselves "Dr", but the only ones who do this in my experience are vets from outside the UK, it doesn't seem to be the done thing here. Same with dentists I think?

If you want to use your title, do it. DH doesn't because the vast majority of people think "Dr" means a medic. It just causes problems or confusion in some circumstances.

I have a doctoral degree and it always felt awkward selecting Dr.

I'd totally be using it! It's a massive achievement, you should be proud of it, and it's also your right to use that title

I use Dr for my title! Was super annoyed once though when the GP receptionist called me back - on my mobile - and asked if she could speak with my husband, assuming a Dr couldn't be female

Not the case.

Even kids nowadays, looking at past papers in their A Level subjects, know - and acknowledge - that papers in the “olden days” were much more challenging. Subjects that are completely based on examinations are obviously going to be much more scary for little snowflakes.

This same situation is replicated at universities in the present time. Furthermore it’s been apparent for years.

People who are not being disingenuous and putting a positive spin on this, accept it. They have no choice. It is the way things are in the current system.

Why university do you work at again??
Degrees are not given away like toffee apples and universities do have policies and procedures in place for assessment and awards. In fact there is an entire department responsible for this at every university.