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

And congratulations

I always tell everyone I did a PhD so I didn't have to choose Miss/Ms/Mrs You're fine, and congrats!

Definitely use it. Use it everywhere. When your buying stuff in a shop and they ask you to sign up to a store card do it and loudly make sure they mark down dr. I would do it too

You earned it, so use it! :)

Congrats! You've earnt the right to use the title if you wish. Dont worry about it. still remembers the delight, as a 20 yr old, being promoted to Prof. on a letter
From
Plain old Mrs Grass

You earned the title so use it!
I work in a GP surgery and always call patients into my room using the title they have given. I would probably ask what you were a doctor of as part of small talk, general chatter, mainly because people are interesting.

Well done! Absolutely an achievement to be proud of, and a title to bear with pride.

Bear in mind that your title of Dr is earned, whereas the medical title is honorary. GPs do not generally have PhDs.

It’s not cringe at all...it’s only cringe when people use it as if to say they need preferential treatment because they are a doctor...they you find they are a botanist

I have ‘countess’ on my Tesco delivery account.

Use Dr. Unlike me, you earned it!

@TheRealShatParp

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.

Ditto - sorry. You have every right. Congratulations!

Crikey, if I achieved a PhD I’d be signed up as Dr everywhere and hoping letters would be addressed to Dr and Mr. Congratulations

I use mine the whole time, it's quite scary how some people change how they react to you. FWIW, we are the 'real' doctors, not the medics (they are a lot more useful than some PhDs though!), in my experience medics don't have an issue with it at all.

When I signed up at my surgery I hesitated for similar reasons to you as to what title to put (I also had a PhD) and the receptionist insisted I use Dr because I was entitled to. I’ve been there ten years now and it’s never caused any kind of problem.

Don’t cringe. You have the qualifications to be titled Dr. Years ago I worked as a receptionist, a colleague had a visitor. This colleague gave me the name face to face rather than on the phone to explain that the woman visiting was tilted Mr due to her qualifications.

She had a title and used it. You have a title, enjoy using it.

Congratulations 🥳🍾

Why on Earth wouldn’t you? I earned my PhD with blood and sweat and tears it feels like and I take the greatest delight in my well earned title! My spouse derives enormous guffaws of delight when he/I get to correct the sing song phone voices “is it Miss or Ms or Mrs?” People with “Its Dr”. 🤣

I find it pretty cringy when people do this. But I hate most titles and never know whether Dr or Mrs sounds more smug (I am both).

in the nicest possible way no one else cares

Exactly.

PMSL, OP.

I have a doctorate, dating back 25 years, and very, very, very rarely use the title (have always preferred Mrs, despite having been divorced for years). Weirdly, it only seems to be on my medical records. Which is quite fun, as I always get asked about my specialism by doctors. Suffice it to say that it is nothing to do with medicine.

I was a bit silly about not using my "doctor" title, I think. I didn't want to come across as snotty and superior so chose to be known as the wife of a shitty ex instead. Now I think that if you have earned it, you should enjoy using it.

Medical doctors are given the title Dr as a courtesy. You’re actually more entitled to use it by virtue of having a PhD!

You are legitimately entitled to call yourself Dr. You have earned it.

For many years my GP thought my title or name was "mum"!

What's the worst that can happen? "Where do you practice". "Oh I'm a Dr of, not a medical Dr - gosh is your title honorary or do you have a PhD?"

I don't use mine on plane tickets (because that's one situation I don't want to be mistaken for a medical Dr!) But elsewhere? I worked damn hard for that title why shouldn't I use it?

It's fine. My friend who has a PhD has found she gets taken a lot more seriously at the doctors now they think she is a doctor. Lol!

And you are a dr now do absolutely fine to use it. You worked very hard for your PhD. Be proud!!

Congratulations great achievement...however, it’s not really relevant in everyday life so I personally wouldn’t use it. It reminds me of Ross from Friends who was always at pains to let everyone know he was Dr Geller. A little cringy but as most have said not really a massive issue.

You are a doctor though. It is not some unique title that only belongs to medical doctors.

It’s your title - use it. I’m an academic and DP is a medical doctor, so we bicker about who’s the ‘real doctor’ but we both tick Dr on forms.