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

@FamilyofAliens - I'm not Mrs Bob Roses I think that died out with Cratchit - possibly before Dickens .

They know it's not true, and they make up the story, and you can tell it's not true, because they've scrambled the details. No one's name in their UK passport comes up as 'Dr John Smith' because that's not how UK passports do titles.

Yes, absolutely. It comes up on a separate page in the passport. 'Holder is entitled to call themselves DOCTOR.'

I had it added to mine after a rather unpleasant border incident in the middle east when I realised that credentials for lone females were extremely useful and important.

[quote OhTheRoses]@FamilyofAliens - I'm not Mrs Bob Roses I think that died out with Cratchit - possibly before Dickens .[/quote]
My late cousin, who became a nun fairly early in her life and therefore lost contact with the outside world, kept using it in correspondence until she died in 2007. My mum said she never thought she'd miss getting letters for 'Mrs John Smith'. She did.

Dr is a title you earned by your own efforts and you deserve to be proud of your achievement. Its the highest degree you can get in this country (UK). The only people who resent you using it will be those who are petty and jealous.

Some years ago a nosy neighbour called me over and asked "Whats your name" which I found quite rude. I would have said "Hello, Im X, whats your name". However I told her my first name. "Whats your second name?" I told her that too. "Is that Mrs or Miss?" By this time I had got a bit irritated by someone who was interrogating me and yet offering me no information about themselves in exchange. "Neither" I told her tersely. "Its Dr." and walked off.

Needless to say the relationship has remained rather chilly. I looked her address up on the Land Registry website and not only do I know her name but the date she moved in, her mortgage provider and how much she paid for her house. Knowledge is power.

@FamilyOfAliens

I have a PhD and I’ve never had to give my title when booking an airline ticket.

I’m sorry but my work is connected to the aviation industry and I think that is highly unlikely. Pretty much every airline has a mandatory “title” box that you must fill in when booking.

You are, however, free to select Mr/Ms/Miss or Mrs even if you are a doctor (of any type). Is that what you mean by not having to give your title?

My sister accidentally signed up for something as ‘princess’

Could be worse

It’s fine

[quote CheetasOnFajitas]@FamilyOfAliens

I have a PhD and I’ve never had to give my title when booking an airline ticket.

I’m sorry but my work is connected to the aviation industry and I think that is highly unlikely. Pretty much every airline has a mandatory “title” box that you must fill in when booking.

You are, however, free to select Mr/Ms/Miss or Mrs even if you are a doctor (of any type). Is that what you mean by not having to give your title?[/quote]
And quite a few don’t even offer “Dr” as an option- easyjet don’t.

@MerylStropp why are you quoting from my post as if to suggest that I said this never happens? I’ve now posted about three times saying that I know it happens, and even described it happening to my friend! My point was simply that it is not the passport that the airline are getting the title from.

Cheetas I was suggesting nothing of the sort - I was actually agreeing with you... it also happened to my DH! Your post underlined the point that passengers' names and titles are listed on the manifest which is accessible to the crew - nothing to do with passports. It's something the OP needs to be aware of.

Congratulations! When I got mine I used it for my Vogue subscription, just for the fun of it. I don't even use it in work anymore as I don't need it. The excitement wears of pretty quickly - so enjoy while it lasts :)

OK cool, I misunderstood @MerylStropp. Sorry.

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.

Please please use your title! So many women don’t use it - there was a big push on Twitter last year to encourage women PhDs to add it to their name, as there is such a gender discrepancy. I always use mine, never been an issue although I do get asked sometimes if I’m a medic. I just say I’m an academic doctor and leave it at that. You’ve worked hard for it - enjoy it!

Use your title & be proud! Doctors know that PhD grads & dentists use dr, too!

I will forever love Mark Kermode for the time when someone asked him 'Oh, was that Mrs Kermode?'
'I think you mean Dr Professor Linda Ruth Williams.'

Who is also his wife.

@sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea my DH did something similar. We attended a function together and someone just assumed he was Dr Aneley. He said: 'That would be my wife... I'm 'just' Mr. Aneley'. Fell in love with him all over again at that moment.

[quote OhTheRoses]@FamilyofAliens - I'm not Mrs Bob Roses I think that died out with Cratchit - possibly before Dickens .[/quote]
So what did you mean @OhTheRoses when you said

Good grief I'm even perfectly happy to be called Mrs His name Roses.

Yay you’re a doctor, well done! It’s great not cringy at all

@Aneley that is brilliant! I know quite a few female PhD Drs, and always introduce them to the DC as 'Dr Friendofmine'. They all say say 'oh, just call me friendofmine!' Which I do, but bloody hell. Anyone with a doctorate has earnt it - and I want the DC to know 'Dr' doesn't equal 'male'

You will find the GP treats you with more respect because your record says Dr, and will explain things more because they think you’re capable of understanding. You’re entitled to use it and should do so - it opens doors.

Congratulations! Use it, own it, you earnt it

It's an honorific you're entitled to use, there should be no issue in you using it!
If the GP mistakenly assumes that you're a medical doctor, that's their mistake and isn't on you at all.

You've more right to use Dr than a GP, whose title is simply a courtesy. 😉🙂 Be proud of your achievements. Well done!

If you want a "Dr" who really is a twat look no further than my ex. Having forgotten that he'd told me about giving up his OU undergrad course he suddenly became "Dr" Yeates.

A doctorate he'd bought on an American website. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Why were you defined by your marital status?

What you are embarrassed that you are actually a doctor and they are sporting a honorary title.
Na show it off, I am 50 and doing my first degree I plan to do a PhD after my masters I bloody well intend to call myself doctor at the age of 60 xx or hopefully sooner.

Use the Dr.! Use it for all things, everywhere, not just the doctor's. You earned it, use it, flaunt it, be proud of it.

Oh, and medical doctors borrowed the title from academic doctors originally, not the other way around.