AIBU - use of ‘Dr’ title - is this normal?!

[Cheesecake45]

Just not sure if I need to get with the times or not - is it normal to go by the title ‘Dr’ simply for having a PhD, if you aren’t in the medical profession? I’m talking one of the easiest PhDs to get (comparatively speaking), nothing vaguely linked to medicine.

AIBU??
YES = this is totally normal get over yourself
NO = wouldn’t be caught dead calling myself a doctor unless I could be assistance in a medical emergency!

You sound a bitter. Do you not like this person?

Wtf are some of you on? Doctors are doctors. What you're referring to are medical doctors. Sounds to me like you're just not educated enough to understand titles and qualifications.

as i said already, paediatrics but many years ago.

The people I know who use 'Dr' (in the non medical sense) are usually a certain type. It sounds mean to say it but I'm afraid it's been completely my experience. Yes, bit pretentious. Keen for everyone to know how important they are. But, to be honest, I think that's often the type that are drawn to doing a PhD. Very wrapped up in their own cleverness and importance.

Not in the UK.
The primary medical degree is a bachelor's degree - Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery,abbreviate ti MB ChB or BM BS most commonly, depending on your University.
An MD is a research degree.
It's different in some other countries where MD is the primary degree.

I know two people with PhDs, one uses the Dr title and one doesn't, one never lets you forget they have a PhD and the other never mentions it. If I had the brains and the tenacity to obtain one I think I would make quite a fuss for a while but I doubt if I would use the Dr title as it seems a bit confusing

Those saying a PhD isn't medical so 'not a real dr' as I understand it dr isn't a protected title, belonging 'more' to those medically qualified.

https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/patient-care/surgical-staff-and-regulation/qualifications-of-a-surgeon/

Why surgeons are not called dr. (only in the UK and Ireland I think)

Dr for a physician is a courtesy title. Dr for a PhD is an actual earned title.
If you have a PhD (whether in candyfloss making or brain surgery/astro-physics) then you have worked bloody hard to get there. Use Dr. It's not wanker-y. What IS wanker-y is correcting people and saying "it's Dr, actually" if they accidentally use something else.

All that would achieve is you making yourself look a bit thick.

I use it as my title (when forced to select one) but I don’t use it at work. I’m a lawyer now and the research I did for my PhD is tangentially connected to what I do but not relevant enough for it not to be cringey to use it on my email signature for example. If I’d stayed in academia I would probably use it.

Yes you are being modest OP. PhDs aren’t easy full stop.

I would suggest using it for formal things like job applications, bank accounts etc. Oh and booking hotels or restaurants in Germany, Switzerland or Austria: they love that stuff and will give you better rooms/ tables/ service! 🤣 Similarly schools treat parents better with academic titles.

Social is a bit trickier although mostly you just use first and last name anyway. Ard you able to share the context and we can give more targeted feedback?

I don't think that's true though, my dad had a PhD in the 60s and he's always used the title Dr, as have several other of his contemporaries. Most of the science teachers at my secondary school in the 80s were Dr so and so - it's perfectly normal.

I've not 'closed any debate'.
I've explained why someone with a PhD has earnt the right to call themselves Dr.
Take it up with professional bodies and/or universities if you feel other qualifications should also earn the right to a specific title.

Thank you for explaining it so clearly.

The gall of the OP to think that a doctorate owner using their earned title is cringeworthy when they are ignorant of basic history...

I think it’s only considered bad form by people who don’t have it to use if I’m honest.

"But why do your achievements warrant a change in your title and not other achievements.
Closing the debate down like you have doesn't seem a particularly educated thing to do. Maybe give some reason why this achievement has to be publicly recognised and others not.
And it effects everyone because there is the confusion already highlighted on this thread, the implied increase in status and entitlement that comes with the title for some (note, not saying all) and the division it creates for some."

Because @ClareBlue it's a qualification that warrants a change in your title. Why does that bother you? Do you feel as bothered by a Miss becoming a Mrs upon marriage?

Do you object to all titles? Do you think they should all be abolished or just Dr for PhDs?

Who are these.'No one' that you speak of? I certainly think anyone with a PHD is just as entitled to call them self DR, as a GP is, because well, you know, they hold a doctorate.

Easy phd 🥲. I dont think any phd its easy. Its very degrading how you said it OP. Its hard earned title and they deserved it.

I think the issue is that Dr. Is now associated much more medically. I think something to distinguish medical/non medical would help.

Im a teacher and we have a couple of people who albsoutrly insist on being called Dr and I have to say it does come across as a bit pretentious and out isn’t of sorts in a secondary school.

I also have a family full or prof, Dr KC and even a Dame.. there is something a bit 🫠 which lacks some humour/humility at times when dealing with them tbh.. they do think themselves somewhat special and continue to use said titles for decades after finishing in work..

Doctor titles were first given to those who achieved a higher degree and later to medical physicians, so those saying they are not an actual Dr are wrong! They earnt it - fine by me to use it, many do in my work

i don't know if it's normal but one of my daughters teachers does this

I actually think the exact opposite of you on both counts!

So I personally feel it's wankery to use your Dr title in daily life (outside of work) even if you've cured cancer in your phd because it's just not relevant to daily life.

However, if you are going to do that and people choose to ignore it, it's not wankery to correct them. The reason I say that is because this mostly if not only tends to happen to women. I've read and personally heard a lot about this.

I use Dr because I prefer to obscure my sex in some situations and my marital status in others. If anyone thinks that’s pretentious, I don’t care. If there was an option to no choose a title, I would probably do that, so while people are forcing me to divulge my status, one way or another, I shall continue to use the one that suits me at the time.

I have also, in situations where it didn’t matter, used Rev before. I’m not in any way reverend, I simply consider the whole thing stupid.

That rationale is interesting as the NMC says the same about nurses. But we don't use a title personally.