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

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

@Mamanyt. I know it’s tv world and all that, but this is interesting.

I think the only time I’ve ever seen a character with PhD on US tv is Ross in friends, and he was constantly ridiculed and made to appear like he had ideas above his station. Medical Dr’s being godlike and PhD’s a poor imitation.

Apart from BBT obviously which is just so far
from reality it’s practically sci fi

@sneakysnoopysniper

Just looked in my UK passport and it says "The holder is Dr. Jane Doe."

As another poster has mentioned having the title Dr can come in useful in certain countries when you want to avoid the long airport queues and use the official/diplomatic bay.

Diplomatic queue? Since when???

As another poster has mentioned having the title Dr can come in useful in certain countries when you want to avoid the long airport queues and use the official/diplomatic bay

WTF? Which countries are these?

Only time someone has mentioned Dr to me at an airport is Easyjet who gave me a shitload of grief because apparently I should have used Miss or Mrs as not knowing the sex of passengers upsets the planned weight distribution of the plane....

You are a Dr, it is your title and you are fully entitled to use it. Completing a PhD you most certainly earned it! Congratulations and well done!

Congratulations! You have no reason to feel embarrassed at all! “Doctor” means learned not medical and if you look at Wikipedia you will see you have more claim to the title than a medical doctor (unless they too have a PhD)

“Contracted "Dr" or "Dr.", it is used as a designation for a person who has obtained a doctorate (e.g. PhD). In many parts of the world it is also used by medical practitioners, regardless of whether or not they hold a doctoral-level degree.”

Congratulations! If I had a PhD I would totally use Dr. I imagine you worked hard to get it so you should definitely be proud and use it!

Please use it wherever & whenever possible! You’ve earned it.

It's fine. I work at a GP surgery. We have several doctors on the books and a couple of Ladys, a Sir and a Right Honourable. Ooh and a Rev too. We do try to use the correct title.

Well done on completing your PhD OP but I doubt re: the doctors surgery i don't think it matters? If you ever get post it will appear on there (as would anything else you gave as part of your given name). They won't be calling you put as 'dr whatever' in waiting rooms, they'll be using your name. They aren't going to be verifying your credentials either or tallying them up to your profession. They're a bit busy for that.

It’s fine to use it. We have lots of drs registered with us
Only one insists we use dr to address him (and gets very cross if we forget ) as he says he worked too hard to get the qualifications only to be addressed as ‘mr

@Heatherjayne1972

It’s fine to use it. We have lots of drs registered with us Only one insists we use dr to address him (and gets very cross if we forget ) as he says he worked too hard to get the qualifications only to be addressed as ‘mr

The odd thing is, that when a Dr (medic) has worked their way up to become a consultant, they are no longer addressed as "Dr" but as "Mister". So one could say they have 'worked even harder' but in this case "Mr" trumps the "Dr" title!

Sometimes my sons take the mick and call me ‘Miss Mummy’. I always respond ‘that’s Dr Mummy to you’.

Whoops. Quote fail.

The odd thing is, that when a Dr (medic) has worked their way up to become a consultant, they are no longer addressed as "Dr" but as "Mister". So one could say they have 'worked even harder' but in this case "Mr" trumps the "Dr" title!

The “MR” title is for surgeons, not consultants generally, and it’s a Uk specific thing.

Stems from ye olden days when surgeons didn’t have a medical degree. Googe it :)

At our surgery everything is electronic, so your first and last name come up and gp calls me by my first name

Congrats OP! Use it with pride! You’ve earned it! Well done!

@bluebluezoo

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

@Mamanyt. I know it’s tv world and all that, but this is interesting.

I think the only time I’ve ever seen a character with PhD on US tv is Ross in friends, and he was constantly ridiculed and made to appear like he had ideas above his station. Medical Dr’s being godlike and PhD’s a poor imitation.

Apart from BBT obviously which is just so far
from reality it’s practically sci fi

As much as I enjoyed Friends while it was on, despite it's absurdities, it really had nothing to do with real life. Although I've known some Joeys who might have, simply because he'd have no way to feel good about himself other than running down someone else. And how did they all afford those apartments? I guarantee you, given their jobs (or lack thereof), they'd have been on the street corners, every single one of them!

Hilarious! Bless you! Your predicament made me giggle. Congratulations as well :)

No you are perfectly entitled to use Dr. Be proud.

In my line of work, there are hardly any "Dr.s"

But in the same line, in Germany, it is usual for a Chief Engineer or Director to be a Dr.Ing. Also for HoDs in non-technical roles where they have worked there way up the greasy pole.

Others are Dipl. Ing but this is not recognised or understood here.

I did a year as a "visiting professor" at a USA university and found a very different attitude towards my doctorate. Because it was from a British RG university. It was really respected.

The academic couple I lodged with were fundraisers for a charity to provide studentships for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. When they found that I had come from a UK working class background where I was given little encouragement by my parents they invited me to be an inspirational speaker at one of their fundraisers. Subsequently I was offered other opportunities to do the same at similar events.

America is a "can do" society where people who raise themselves by their own efforts are justly appreciated and admired. Here in the UK there is often a rather envious and miserable suggestion that it is self aggrandizement to be proud of what you have achieved. People who have never been to university witter on about Micky Mouse degrees and universities. Undoubtedly jealous because they failed to make the grade.

Remember you have a doctorate, a postgraduate qualification. In the UK your GP most likely does not and is merely a Bachelor of Medicine (MB BS)

Good on you op. If I could side step titles I would.

Medical Drs increasingly assume they may use everyone's first name in any event. They may always use mine if they introduce themselves with theirs. If not, they may call me Mrs. I find it extraordinary that they seem to dislike addressing people as their equals.

I have never used it, but it's a personal thing.