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

I use Dr and I’ve never been called upon in a flight. I genuinely think that one is a bit of a myth. The air crew are first aid trained and generally handle issues with minimum fuss. If an issue arose they’re not going to start checking titles on the passenger list - they’ll be dealing with the issue.

Not my experience at all. I generally only fly long haul (basically one end of the globe to the other), and every single flight I had with my title I was called upon. And it didn’t end, was then intermittent all flight. And they gave weird credits I didn’t even want for the imposition. To the point I never used my title after a certain point. To be fair, due to this I haven’t used my title for a long time, however I have had colleagues I have flown with approached even up to immediately pre-Covid so it’s still a thing.

You've earned that title so use it. I would.

@HoppingPavlova

I think the phrase that fits re belittling nurses is “dick move”.

I was not belittling nurses but as someone who spent three decades as an emergency medicine specialist I would think I’m more qualified than the average nurse to assist in a plane in the event of a medical emergency. Seems not. Ok.

You clearly are.

@HoppingPavlova

I hope you are more respectful of the skills of the nurses who work alongside you.

Yes, experienced emergency nurses are more skilled than any junior and many registrars so of course we are respectful of them! But to indicate that the average nurse would be better placed to assist on a plane than an emergency specialist is odd. As I said in another post anyone would prefer an experienced emergency nurse to a dermatologist or psychiatrist for example or even GP for that matter. That’s obvious. But would you prefer an experienced emergency nurse to an intensivist or emergency specialist? It’s all about suitability and my point was that if I was on a plane then I would wait until they established they got to someone who was less suitable than myself (given the situation involved) to step forward. So not sure why saying if someone was having a heart attack and they called for assistance and they got a nurse I’d think, time to step up is such a crime? It’s rhetorical actually, no need to answer as it doesn’t change anything.

So it's probably best for them to ask over the tannoy for medical professionals to help in an emergency because if they go down the list of 'drs' they make speak to a clinical psychologist, phd in libraries, ophthalmologist and a history lecturer. By the time they'd done that the a&e nurse could already be supporting the person if they'd just made an announcement.

@sneakysnoopysniper

People who have never been to university witter on about Micky Mouse degrees and universities. Undoubtedly jealous because they failed to make the grade.

Actually, I doubt that is the reason. To allege someone must be “jealous” is a Mumsnet Bingo favourite, though. If only posters could use their imaginations...

The real reason is much more likely to be disapproval of the way grades and so on have been devalued in more recent times. The Micky Mouse subjects and degrees exist, I’m afraid,

On a more optimistic note, it is heartening to read in today’s news that soon universities are to stop making offers based on predicted grades, opting instead for offers based on grades actually achieved.

@RattleOfBars

Personally i wouldn’t use your Dr title outside of your professional life, as most people will assume you’re a medical doctor.

And you’ll be called on every time someone feels ill on a flight etc. It gets embarrassing explaining you’re not a medical doctor, people look at you like you’re pretending to be a ‘real’ doctor as they don’t see a PHD in say Philosophy as equivalent to a medical degree (that’s my experience anyway!)

I concur.

@HoppingPavlova

I’m not tying myself up in knots. It’s just common sense.

It is and we could do without the defensive aggression on this thread.

I just asked my husband who has a PHD. He uses it on forms and at the bank etc. Work know he has a PHD but they use first names. He got his PHD 11 years ago and no one has asked him to help in a medical emergency. He has had the occasional 'what hospital do you work in' and he tells them it's a PHD and they say ok.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

He also flies 5 or 6 times a year for work and has never had anyone ask him to assist in a medical emergency.

@NerrSnerr

I just asked my husband who has a PHD. He uses it on forms and at the bank etc. Work know he has a PHD but they use first names. He got his PHD 11 years ago and no one has asked him to help in a medical emergency. He has had the occasional 'what hospital do you work in' and he tells them it's a PHD and they say ok.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

They may have direct experience but I doubt whether they are willing to identify other people, given that you appear unwilling to accept the various versions of “the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story...”

@NerrSnerr

He also flies 5 or 6 times a year for work and has never had anyone ask him to assist in a medical emergency.

So what? That does not negate other people’s experiences.

@Janegrey333 it just seems the people who are saying that people with PHDs are getting mixed up with medical doctors and are asked for medical assistance don't seem to be the people with PHDs.

Weirdest stealth boast thread.

But congrats !

Why do you care what the GP thinks? When I worked in social care I was more than happy to use people's proper titles. It's just good manners. Very well done on the PhD.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

Never. Neither has my husband. I've also travelled with colleagues who all have PhDs and I've never seen or heard of this happening.

You might get the occasional question about whether you work in a hospital but as soon as you say it's a PhD people get it.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

No, and neither has DH - but we've never booked flights as Dr because the travel arrangers (via our science-based companies, or before that a uni travel agents) explicitly said we shouldn't.

I started using Dr at the GPs when one was being a patronising git liable to suggest TUBEs (totally unecessary breast examinations ... They used to be a thing, hopefully not now). DH probably didn't mention his until he was having to explain chemical kinetics, or in one case how to work out the correct dose of potassium to one of them who'd evidently forgotten gcse chemistry.

You’re a doctor, use your title with pride!

Years of work, thousands of words (and ££££'s)! Put it on every bloody form you can! Wear it on a badge! Refuse to be introduced to anyone unless it's as "Dr ...".

I'm in the second year of a PhD and I'm threatening to make my daughter call me Dr Mummy when (if..) I pass. Entirely reasonable!

@NerrSnerr

I just asked my husband who has a PHD. He uses it on forms and at the bank etc. Work know he has a PHD but they use first names. He got his PHD 11 years ago and no one has asked him to help in a medical emergency. He has had the occasional 'what hospital do you work in' and he tells them it's a PHD and they say ok.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

There was a poster upthread who talked about being approached on a flight back from a big conference and the cabin crew having to work their way down a big list of “Drs” who were all academics. She did not, however, report any difficulty or embarrassment with simply saying “no, I’m not a medical doctor”.

@Janegrey333 I am not surprised at you cosying up to the poster who not only endorsed your view that only medical doctors should use the title but took it to a new level by declaring use of one’s PhD title to be a “dick move” (including in a scenario that OP had not even proposed to use it). Whilst throwing in disparaging comments about nurses for good measure. The aggression you complain of started right there with “dick move”.

@hoppingPavlova
It's me not myself by the way. Just thought I'd let you know for the sake of being pedantic .

Has anyone ever thought about saying they are a doctor when they go to hospital and get asked what they do? So that they get treat with more respect? I think it does affect treatment

How would they know you're not a doctor for example

@NerrSnerr

I just asked my husband who has a PHD. He uses it on forms and at the bank etc. Work know he has a PHD but they use first names. He got his PHD 11 years ago and no one has asked him to help in a medical emergency. He has had the occasional 'what hospital do you work in' and he tells them it's a PHD and they say ok.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

@NerrSnerr I found it- it was @TheElementsOfMedical at 18:23 yesterday.

Has anyone who has a PHD on this thread had any issues where people ask them to help in a medical emergency (not just the usual 'my brother in law's friend was on a flight story). Does anyone have any direct experience?

I've had a PhD for 20 years and it's never caused anyone to ask me for help in a medical emergency. I have had to help occasionally but that's because I'm 1st aid trained and if you're around horses for long enough someone will get injured. Generally if people ask for a title I'll say 'it's Dr, but it's a PhD not an MD'. Occasionally they want more of an explanation but usually that suffices.

@cultkid

Has anyone ever thought about saying they are a doctor when they go to hospital and get asked what they do? So that they get treat with more respect? I think it does affect treatment

How would they know you're not a doctor for example

A friend works in medical negligence legislation and that seems to get her plenty of respect in hospital!