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

Which facts do you think I’m lacking?
I work in a hospital (albeit not a training one) and the only people who use the title Dr are the medical doctors. With the exception of a couple of clinical psychologists who use ‘Dr (insert name) Specialist Clinical Psychologist’ on their email signature. They don’t verbally introduce themselves as ‘Dr Jean’ just ‘Jean the Psychologist’ to staff and patients (not real name). The MDT is made up of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, students etc. We all understand some people with PhDs use the title ‘Dr’ but if a non-medic walked into handover and introduced himself as ‘Dr Sam’ people would be confused, even the consultants! He’d likely be mistaken for a new F1 or 2

Apart from clinical psychologists it would be quite rare for a member of the MDT to have a PHD wouldn't it? I work in psychiatric services and in my trust clinical psychologists do introduce themselves to patients as Dr Smith, just like the psychiatrist would as well. I imagine it's different in all areas. I certainly don't know of any psychiatrists who think that the psychologists shouldn't use their title (and vice versa of course). We all get along well though and respect each other's skills and qualifications.

Relatively recent times, in fact. Universities love financial opportunities.

Yes, universities are businesses.

Sadly not all universities are focused on ‘expanding the sum of human knowledge’ some are focused on financial gain and reputation. Just as many students nowadays are more interested in getting their degree with as little effort as possible!

I find this discussion is made difficult by a language that doesn't have separate words for dr (=someone who has published and defended their own research) and dr (= someone with a medical degree).

'A PhD' or 'someone with a doctorate' and 'a medic' probably covers it for the purposes of this discussion doesn't it?

if a non-medic walked into handover and introduced himself as ‘Dr Sam’ people would be confused

Well yes - that would be odd, more because some random PhD has wandered into your handover, than because of how they introduced themselves. The same confusion would occur on a surgical ward with someone wandering up and introducing themselves as "Mr X" too, surely? This hardly seems to be relevant to the resounding majority of situations where a PhD holder might introduce themselves as Dr X.

If I am asked for my title by my bank, a company supplying my online purchases, or the mechanic fixing my car (or in any other day to day situation), they can either make an erroneous assumption about my profession (which doesn't affect them in any way, and merely lowers my level of qualification in their mind), or they can ask "Oh are you a doctor?", to which I would reply "I have a PhD in molecular biology", removing any doubt as to whether I'm a suitable person to operate on them if they so desired...

If you mean the problem is the same title being used for both - yeah, well that's the whole subject of the thread.
The alternative - workable in written communications but not really in speech - is to drop titles and just use postnominal qualifications - as commonly done in the US

I work in a hospital (albeit not a training one) and the only people who use the title Dr are the medical doctors.

If you don't work in a university hospital, the fact that you don't know anyone other than medics who use the title of Dr in their work doesn't really prove anything as clearly you don't work with any academics!

They don’t verbally introduce themselves as ‘Dr Jean’ just ‘Jean the Psychologist’ to staff and patients (not real name). The MDT is made up of doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, students etc

I'm sure that they wouldn't verbally introduce themselves as "Dr xxx" but then most people don't introduce themselves with their title nowadays. Do you introduce yourself as mrs/miss or ms? Most people just give their full name and (if relevant) job title.

@saraclara

My opinion of academics has plummeted thanks to this thread.

Oh dear. I'm sure everybody is devastated.

A 'doctor' as in medical doctor is a professional title and drs work within a code of ethics.

A 'doctor' as in a PhD is a qualification and very different.

The 'risk' is you will be seen as masquerading as a medic OR just showing off your qualification.

Outside of an academic setting I don't see the validity of putting Dr in front of your name as all it shows is you have a higher qualification in some subject or other.

It's irrelevant except for CVs, LinkedIn and staff bios in a university or school.

@JinglingHellsBells

A 'doctor' as in medical doctor is a professional title and drs work within a code of ethics.

A 'doctor' as in a PhD is a qualification and very different.

The 'risk' is you will be seen as masquerading as a medic OR just showing off your qualification.

Outside of an academic setting I don't see the validity of putting Dr in front of your name as all it shows is you have a higher qualification in some subject or other.

It's irrelevant except for CVs, LinkedIn and staff bios in a university or school.

It's an academic title and the fact that medical professionals are often referred to as doctors doesn't change that. Surgeons don't even use "dr" as their title.

A 'doctor' as in medical doctor is a professional title and drs work within a code of ethics.
Again, not exclusive to the medical profession.
The students I teach leave with a professional qualification, the right to use a professional title and work within a code of ethics which is reviewed regularly by our professional body.

most people don't introduce themselves with their title nowadays

The doctors on our unit introduce themselves as ‘Dr Sam’ ‘Dr Liz’ ‘Dr Max’ etc (all first names) to both staff and patients. Staff call them ‘Doctor’ for short. We have such a high turnover of doctors on rotation it’s handy to know who is a doctor especially if someone forgets their name! We have clinical psychologists with PhDs and a specialist OT with a PhD but they don’t refer to themselves as ‘Dr’ other than in email signatures to other staff.

A 'doctor' as in medical doctor is a professional title and drs work within a code of ethics.

The exact same applies to (non medical) Doctors of Clinical Psychology.

A 'doctor' as in medical doctor is a professional title and drs work within a code of ethics. A 'doctor' as in a PhD is a qualification and very different. The 'risk' is you will be seen as masquerading as a medic OR just showing off your qualification.
Outside of an academic setting I don't see the validity of putting Dr in front of your name as all it shows is you have a higher qualification in some subject or other. It's irrelevant except for CVs, LinkedIn and staff bios in a university or school.

I agree with this.

@RattleOfBars

most people don't introduce themselves with their title nowadays

The doctors on our unit introduce themselves as ‘Dr Sam’ ‘Dr Liz’ ‘Dr Max’ etc (all first names) to both staff and patients. Staff call them ‘Doctor’ for short. We have such a high turnover of doctors on rotation it’s handy to know who is a doctor especially if someone forgets their name! We have clinical psychologists with PhDs and a specialist OT with a PhD but they don’t refer to themselves as ‘Dr’ other than in email signatures to other staff.

That sounds very old-fashioned. I haven't worked anywhere where people would introduce themselves to colleagues using their title for many years. If someone introduces themselves as Mr/Ms/Mrs would you assume they were a surgeon? Regardless, most people don't introduce themselves verbally with their title nowadays and given that it doesn't seem to confuse you that the clinical psychologist with PhD's have Dr in their email signature, why are you arguing that other people with PhD's shouldn't use their title in writing? That's all OP would be doing.

I work in psychiatric services and in my trust clinical psychologists do introduce themselves to patients as Dr Smith, just like the psychiatrist would as well.

Not where I work. I'd never introduce myself to a patient as Dr - it causes confusion because most patients understand the Dr to be the medic responsible for prescribing their medication and overseeing their legal detention in hospital. They can confuse you as having the same role. It also feels less formal and makes you seem more approachable and easy to talk to if you're just "Lou" instead of Dr Lou. But I use my Dr title on reports and emails etc, and some other paperwork.

One of the first things I did when I got my PhD was switch my bank cards etc to Dr. If you’re going to force me to use a title (which I anyway think is odd - why does the GP or the supermarket need to know my title?? Why do we even need titles in everyday life?) I’m going to use my proper one. Plus I hate Mrs/Miss. Plus I worked bloody hard for it and shed many a tear over getting my doctorate.

Plus I worked bloody hard for it and shed many a tear over getting my doctorate.

Exactly. Be proud of it and use it wherever possible!

*The 'risk' is you will be seen as masquerading as a medic OR just showing off your qualification.

Outside of an academic setting I don't see the validity of putting Dr in front of your name as all it shows is you have a higher qualification in some subject or other.

It's irrelevant except for CVs, LinkedIn and staff bios in a university or school*

I don’t really care if someone thinks I’m masquerading as a medic, or showing off my qualification.

I don’t use Dr unless asked. If someone says “are you Miss or Mrs?” Why shouldn’t i say Dr? Miss or Mrs would be lying, as it isn’t my title and I have never used either.

Judge me if you like. Why not judge women who get all excited about being a Mrs and showing off their marital status as well.

Judge me if you like. Why not judge women who get all excited about being a Mrs and showing off their marital status as well.

Exactly. I wonder if the people who think using "Dr" is showing off, were quick to change their title to Mrs if they got married.

Several posters perpetuating the myth of academic doctors being the “real” doctors.

Initially, the title it applied to lawyers. c.1300s or so, when universities developed, the title was used for theology, medicine and law.
Over time other subjects were studied and where considered to be philosophies (even if science), hence PhD.

The 'risk' is you will be seen as masquerading as a medic OR just showing off your qualification.

I don't see how others thinking I'm "showing off my qualification" is in any way a "risk".

If they took a negative view of my "showing off" a qualification I've worked the best part of 10 years for, I'd (probably rightly) assume they were envious and/or just not a very pleasant person!

No risk involved though, so it's all good.

@Belladonna12

It's the other way round .Dr has been an academic title since the 13th century. It started to be used by people who practice medicine later on and it is a "courtesy" title if they don't have doctorates. It's not even used by medical practitioners in many countries and is not used by surgeons in this country

Incorrect.
Also surgeons were “Mister” (only men in those days) as they didn’t go to university but did apprenticeships

@noworklifebalance

Several posters perpetuating the myth of academic doctors being the “real” doctors.

Initially, the title it applied to lawyers. c.1300s or so, when universities developed, the title was used for theology, medicine and law.
Over time other subjects were studied and where considered to be philosophies (even if science), hence PhD.

Well done for reading Wikipedia. It doesn't actually demonstrate that academics weren't the first doctors.

As for titles - use whichever you are most comfortable with (and legally allowed to do), bearing in mind how it may, rightly or wrongly, be perceived!