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

@HoppingPavlova

Lots of anecdotes here, it’s notable that none describes being approached due to their name being down as “Dr X” on the manifest. The majority are tannoy call outs, a few directly witnessed the emergency and one told crew on boarding that he was a doctor.

Except I did say this had happened to me on every single flight I was on to the point I no longer put the title on the booking for past decade ........ Since then have also experienced it happen to a colleague sitting next to me not too long pre-Covid.

And in how many of those cases were you called to a patient who needed immediate emergency care in the sense that a few minutes’ delay might have made a difference between life and death? I have a feeling that the risk assessments that inform standard operating procedure on board will take this into account- ie if you need a doctor very quickly (patient unconscious, not breathing etc) you go straight to the tannoy call. If someone is in distress but more stable then you work down the list of in-board doctors quietly in order not to alarm other passengers or embarrass the ill person. Just a thought.

My point being that I do not believe that academics flying under the title “Dr” are putting passengers at risk by delaying access to medical doctors.

Quite. DH is a surgeon who are by convention called Mr. Is he putting lives at risk by travelling incognito?

@HoppingPavlova

Lots of anecdotes here, it’s notable that none describes being approached due to their name being down as “Dr X” on the manifest. The majority are tannoy call outs, a few directly witnessed the emergency and one told crew on boarding that he was a doctor.

Except I did say this had happened to me on every single flight I was on to the point I no longer put the title on the booking for past decade ........ Since then have also experienced it happen to a colleague sitting next to me not too long pre-Covid.

So there has been an emergency on every single flight you have been on where they asked you for help at the time of the emergency?. I have known them to ask in advance, on boarding the plane but all a person would have to do is say that they are not medically qualified. What's the problem? Titles are a pretty pointless anyway, but if they are going to insist that people use them I don't see why people should use a different one just because some bachelors of medicines use "dr".

@TatianaBis

Quite. DH is a surgeon who are by convention called Mr. Is he putting lives at risk by travelling incognito?

I was thinking that too. SIL is "mrs" as she's a surgeon.

Crew are all trained in that sort of immediate care anyway- CPR, using the defibrillator etc, plus they also have the Med Link/MedicAire ground helpline (also described in the article) immediately on hand and are trained in how to describe the situation to them.

They would need to know how to do it as they can’t rely on a flight populated by others that can. I guess it’s a case of being able to do it if you have to but seeing it as a big deal and preferring someone else to do it if they do it routinely and are more comfortable? Did not know, just an assumption?

Theoretically though I guess most passengers could use a defibrillator etc as well as air crew? My kids (adults) all know CPR/use of defibrillator and advanced first aid as I’ve made sure they are not useless and can perform required civic duty if needed but if I was present they’d probably prefer me to do it. The other thing is, even if they do it themselves, it seems human nature to like someone who views it as routine and is comfortable with it all to just be there as a security blanket. Had a medical emergency at local shops and I made my child with me deal with it as they should have been capable. They did so, and adequately, but later said although they would have done so if I was not there and there was no one else they felt much better that I was ‘supervising’. Guessing it’s a universal thing?

So there has been an emergency on every single flight you have been on where they asked you for help at the time of the emergency?

No, but at one point I was called on every flight I was on over a period of a few years - hence never using it as title from that point forward. Also, no not all were medical emergencies, some were and some were certainly not (prolonged copious vomiting that didn’t appear to be air sickness for example). On checking in they never asked for actual medical background when I did use that title. Maybe it’s airline dependent? I generally stick to one carrier where possible but have experienced a few others over the years when they use partner lines for certain flights if amalgamation is required, quite restricted range though but that has included BA on the rare occasion.

@HoppingPavlova your experiences are very interesting to read and I do take a lot of your points. However, given that the essence of this thread is “should a non-medical person with a PhD ever call themselves doctor?” I went back to your original “dick move” post to see if I could work out whether you were actually suggesting it was a “dick move” to use the title “Dr” on a flight. This is what you said:

Personally I think it’s a dick move. Three scenarios where I would not use this as my title if I was not medically qualified are medical situations, plane tickets and social settings. I have always been happy to use my title in medical settings to flag to others that I am also medically qualified. I learnt the hard way never to use it on planes as constantly on call on long haul for anything and everything no matter how minor, and if they get really desperate they will put a call out. It’s rare for there to be no one else but if they start getting desperate and asking for a nurse etc or it’s obvious the person helping is someone like a dermatologist with no clue then I’d offer.

Being charitable, possibly you were saying:
Medical setting= Using it would be a dick move
Aircraft = I don’t do it as I just get disturbed all the time. No express judgment of academics who do it.

Is that right? Or do you believe that it is a “dick move” to buy a flight ticket under the title “Dr” unless you are a medical doctor?

@HoppingPavlova

So there has been an emergency on every single flight you have been on where they asked you for help at the time of the emergency?

No, but at one point I was called on every flight I was on over a period of a few years - hence never using it as title from that point forward. Also, no not all were medical emergencies, some were and some were certainly not (prolonged copious vomiting that didn’t appear to be air sickness for example). On checking in they never asked for actual medical background when I did use that title. Maybe it’s airline dependent? I generally stick to one carrier where possible but have experienced a few others over the years when they use partner lines for certain flights if amalgamation is required, quite restricted range though but that has included BA on the rare occasion.

How strange. I flew on average twice a week for work in the decade and a half immediately after I got my doctorate, regularly booked tickets with my title, and never once had someone ask me for assistance under the illusion that I had medical qualifications.

When there was some kind of medical or potentially medical situation that I knew about because the person involved was sitting close to me -- or in one case was actually flying as part of my large longhaul group (person got up to go to the loo, fainted and cut their head quite nastily against the corner of a bulwark), the airline staff were impressive.

[quote MilerVino]@Janegrey333 you might want to dial down the stirring a bit. If you go back to around a 6 you might get away with it. Turning it up to 11 is a bit of a giveaway.[/quote]
@Janegrey333 always does this, every post is negative. I imagine her to be a v lonely, bored, but sadly also bitter woman

@HoppingPavlova

So why only look for dr’s? There may be Paramedics, specialist trauma nurses, many police officers have advance life saving training, army medics on board who may be better suited to an emergency than a GP nearing retirement, or a dermatologist who hasn’t dealt with emergent care since 1970.

Well, this was answered by my paragraph directly after the one you gave quoted. Airlines should have a field for this so if you feel inclined to help should the issue arise they know who is best to call on re priority of usefulness. So as you say a specialist trauma nurse will generally be far more useful than ‘just’ a GP or dermatologist (yep, no apologies there - context). Similarly, an emergency care specialist or intensivist would probably be better than the specialist trauma nurse (unless they are ‘snoozing’ after squiffing too much free booze). But airlines have no idea on actual cascade of usefulness as they don’t bother with this aspect with bookings. I’m guessing if they exhaust the list of Dr’s though that’s when they put out a call as I have heard this now and again. So if a paramedic or army medic felt so inclined they could put their hand up but definitely better for patient if best placed people can be identified straight up.

I also once had them put a dead passenger next to me. They asked if I minded and shuffled my neighbour off (prob to first class ). Fine by me as not like they were going to disturb me for the next 12hrs. Again, you get some stupid meaningless credit that’s hardly an incentive for your troubles but not really a trouble at all as they really are the ideal flight neighbour.

That’s grim. Dearly me, I thought they’d have some sort of ‘area’ in which they could ‘place’ deceased passengers? I never imagined they’d pop them on a seat.

I’ll never assume the old man sleeping in the corner is in fact absolutely fine and alive!

Or do you believe that it is a “dick move” to buy a flight ticket under the title “Dr” unless you are a medical doctor?

Quite ironic since medics only use the title as a courtesy and those with doctorates are the real doctors. Must have gone to this one's head (awaits a drip feed that she has a D.Phil.).

@CountFosco

Or do you believe that it is a “dick move” to buy a flight ticket under the title “Dr” unless you are a medical doctor?

Quite ironic since medics only use the title as a courtesy and those with doctorates are the real doctors. Must have gone to this one's head (awaits a drip feed that she has a D.Phil.).

Yes, it's hilarious that because bachelors a medicine have been allowed to use the title "Dr" even if they haven't got a doctorate, people who have actually got a doctorate are being accused of pretending to be a medic.

Personally I think it’s a dick move. Three scenarios where I would not use this as my title if I was not medically qualified are medical situations, plane tickets and social settings

So it’s a dick move to use Dr if you aren’t medically qualified in every situation except work?

But it’s ok for medics to use Dr in social settings and outside work?

If you’re in a social setting it’s as much a “dick move” to introduce yourself as “Dr X” if you’re a medical dr as it is if you have a PhD.

Does anyone use a title of any sort nowadays in most social situations?

Yes, it's hilarious that because bachelors a medicine have been allowed to use the title "Dr" even if they haven't got a doctorate, people who have actually got a doctorate are being accused of pretending to be a medic.

Hilarious that someone with a bachelor degree can use the title doctor when they leave med school? That sounds like academic snobbery.

A medical doctor is a doctor by profession. Their occupation is ‘doctor’ whether they’re an F1 or a consultant. Medical doctors have high social status (probably due to the profession’s oath to save lives, treat and heal people, take responsibility for life and death situations on a daily basis).

An academic with a PhD/Doctorate will have a different profession eg lecturer or maybe no profession just the title (maybe they’re taking a break or unemployed). So while they may use the title ‘Dr’ they aren’t doctors by outside of their academic speciality. Being a doctor isn’t their occupation or profession.

That’s why I find it strange when academics use Dr in social situations, signing forms, booking travel, anything outside of their work environment.

Is it a protected title anyway? Or can anyone call themselves Dr on a form, the way they can tick the box that says ‘Lord/Lady’?

But it’s ok for medics to use Dr in social settings and outside work?

Yes, because being a doctor is their profession and occupation.

If asked ‘so what do you do?’ socially it’s quite normal for a medical doctor to say ‘I’m a doctor’ (or add on their speciality eg ‘I’m a Registrar in Orthopaedics’)

Whereas a lecturer or researcher would describe their occupation/profession as that, not say ‘I’m a doctor’. Maybe they drop into the conversation they have a PhD if it comes up?

Hilarious that someone with a bachelor degree can use the title doctor when they leave med school?

No, that's not what she said. What's funny is the inversion that's happened re who is deemed entitled to use Dr.

When l had to register to do click and collect for screwfix it wanted a title. I was thoroughly annoyed at this, so selected Captain. Captain Winterbottom, your light switches are ready for collection ☺

@RattleOfBars

But it’s ok for medics to use Dr in social settings and outside work?

Yes, because being a doctor is their profession and occupation.

If asked ‘so what do you do?’ socially it’s quite normal for a medical doctor to say ‘I’m a doctor’ (or add on their speciality eg ‘I’m a Registrar in Orthopaedics’)

Whereas a lecturer or researcher would describe their occupation/profession as that, not say ‘I’m a doctor’. Maybe they drop into the conversation they have a PhD if it comes up?

Saying 'I'm a doctor' isn't the same thing as medics being allowed to introduce themselves social with the title Dr but it being frowned on for a PhD to use their professional title in the same context.

Hilarious that someone with a bachelor degree can use the title doctor when they leave med school? That sounds like academic snobbery.
You've misunderstood what was being said here.

A medical doctor is a doctor by profession. Their occupation is ‘doctor’ whether they’re an F1 or a consultant. Medical doctors have high social status (probably due to the profession’s oath to save lives, treat and heal people, take responsibility for life and death situations on a daily basis).

You don't have to mention that medical doctors have a high social status in every post - that has never been disputed.

Hilarious that someone with a bachelor degree can use the title doctor when they leave med school? That sounds like academic snobbery.

You have misunderstood. I didn't say that it is hilarious that they can use the title of Dr when they leave medical school. It is however hilarious that they are allowed to use the title Dr even though they haven't got a doctorate and that they then think people who actually do have doctorates are "pretending" to have a qualification they haven't got.

@ErrolTheDragon

Hilarious that someone with a bachelor degree can use the title doctor when they leave med school?

No, that's not what she said. What's funny is the inversion that's happened re who is deemed entitled to use Dr.

Exactly.

No, that's not what she said. What's funny is the inversion that's happened re who is deemed entitled to use Dr.

Why is it funny? Medical doctors have been referred to as doctors/physicians for centuries, introduced as ‘Dr. (name)’.

Academic ‘doctors’ don’t share the same history? Studying for a PhD is far more recent.

@LadyTiredWinterBottom2

When l had to register to do click and collect for screwfix it wanted a title. I was thoroughly annoyed at this, so selected Captain. Captain Winterbottom, your light switches are ready for collection ☺

Brilliant! Love it!