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!

"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."

I agree with this somewhat. Not all of them, but it does attract those who do it for their ego. At least in my field.

I’ve seen several of these threads - they come up every now and again. It’s fascinating. Agree with whoever said upthread about the whiff of the ‘we’re sick of experts!’ mentality so effectively used by government in recent years.

So to those shrieking ‘But why?! Why do YOU get a different title? Why is YOUR qualification so important and different to others?!’ - well the answer is, it’s not. Of course it’s not. All qualifications serve different purposes. Historically, academics and then later, certain medical professionals saw the qualification for what they do recognised by a title change rather than post nominals, like CEng or whatever. It just is that way because history and culture. You might as well rail at the fact that married women are still usually called Mrs but young men are NEVER called Master! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WHY WHY WHY!!!!! etc. 😁

As for most PhDs being pointless. Not sure where one really goes with that kind of knee jerk chippy shit but really? The entire system of academic knowledge, of university and professional research and forwarding of knowledge in every single field is based on the system we have of individual research projects building on what we know to push understanding forward. Bit by tiny bit. All of them. Some of those projects will launch the careers of significant researchers and others won’t. But those which don’t, will be referenced by those which do! It’s fine if you don’t get that system. But don’t talk shit about what you don’t understand unless you want to look like a complete prick.

As others have pointed out above - most medical doctors are not proper doctors - they're double bachelors, and their Dr title is a courtesy.

The real doctors - some of whom may be medical - are those who have completed a doctoral thesis by research. It indicates a higher level of original research and independent scholarship beyond what someone gains from an undergraduate medical degree. The use of the title Dr for those who have completed a PhD or DPhil by research is enshrined in law by royal charter and goes back hundreds of years.

I don't have to 'hunt'.
Your comments are there for all to see.
Just.stop.

That would have to be an almighty ego given the effort and commitment ( not to mention ability) required to grind through the years of study.

A doctorate is actually quite hard. I’m not sure many egos are that big…

Nothing wrong in having a PHD in creative writing.

In fact I’d go further and say it’s unlikely ego alone could propel anyone through the demands of a doctorate. You just couldn’t do it without genuine interest and ability.

Cringing at your ignorance 😶

That’s what I thought!

Is that your definition of success - a big house? It's not my definition

Yes, Rev is an ‘official’ title.
Yes, Judges use their titles in everyday life. They’re probably banking with Coutts, and their statements are addressed to Lord/Lady Justice Smith (if they’ve reached that level).

I wonder if we would be having a similar debate about exclusively male titles. Imagine if my partner said, “That catholic priest down the road calls himself Father, and he’s not even a father. I’m a father, why can’t I call myself Father?”

If you have a PhD in a specialist area of cancer research, for example, why the hell shouldn’t you be able to call yourself ‘doctor’? Your expertise will far outstrip that of a GP prescribing lotion for your eczema!

Total nonsensical argument. The GP’s knowledge on all other aspects of medicine will outstrip the person who has a PhD in a niche field in cancer research. The GP’s knowledge of cancer clinically will also outstrip theirs.
A surgeons knowledge about a particular procedure may outstrip the GP’s knowledge; a pathologist’s knowledge about cells and tissue will outstrip the surgeon’s and so on.

The general snobbery and nonsense about titles that are courtesy versus those that are earned is pretty pathetic.

Most doctors I know - medical and academic - do not use their titles outside of their profession, as they do not need validation from others.

A doctorate is a certain level of academic qualification which may be in medicine or in any other field. All people who have achieved a doctorate are allowed to use "Doctor" as a title. My GP is "Doctor", my dentist is "Doctor", even my vet is "Doctor", and I know several Doctors who are non-medical.

As titles tend to have a set hierarchy, the Doctor may be dropped. One example of this who many people know is Jonathan Van-Tam who was previously Dr JVT, then became Professor JVT and is now Sir JVT.

People who shouldn't really use the "doctor" title are those awarded honorary doctorates. Examples include Ed Sheeran, Justin Timberlake, Marcus Rashford, Stormzy and Lenny Henry (who as a "Sir" wouldn't use it anyway).

Maybe stop posting nonsense to me and respond to someone else? Accusing someone of trolling is troll hunting.

But they are literally a Dr. The title for medical doctors is honorary and conventional. For PhDs, of which is not sure any are 'easily obtained', it's totally right to use it. I'm a dentist and conventionally these days, many of my colleagues use it the title but I do not!

So you’re saying that people who have earned the right, as conferred by a university, to call themselves Dr shouldn’t call themselves Dr? After all, people only need to know a medical Dr’s title when they’re at work, same as an academic. Do you think a reverend shouldn’t call themselves a reverend? Or a lord shouldn’t call themselves a lord? I’m with you - nobody should have titles, but as we live in a society where they do exist, why shouldn’t people who have titles use them?.

In case you’re interested, since your real issue seems to be that this woman you work with can’t possibly have a PhD, all PhDs (or almost all) are held by EthOS at the British Library, and she might have further details on her LinkedIn profile.

I almost feel sorry for her.

She’s a medical doctor! 🤣

Of course it is normal! But only for employment reasons,my husband had a PhD and so does my daughter.Both use it for employment only.I once called my husband at work and asked for him by his name,the woman who answered the phone nearly bit my head off,because I didn’t say Dr,I said I mean my husband!

I thought the rule was that PhD doctors are only called Dr in an academic setting but not anywhere else whereas medical doctors can be called Dr all the time?

I don't use Dr for validation, I use it because I've earned it. The only validation I needed was when the University awarded it to me. I don't care what anyone else thinks of it.

Nope.
No such rule.

I think we need to stop thinking medics are so much more qualified than everyone else and we shouldn't treat them like gods. Their training is not superior to others post graduate degrees and isn't the only one worthy of the title Dr.

@TheCultureHusks not sure it was shrieking and it's reasonable question to ask, which you have given an interesting answer on.
The faith in the scientific ownership of debate is another question. It would be short sighted to not at least consider that the scientific community itself might be part of the issue, particularly around communication, ethics and conflicting interests and funding. I deal with experts in scientific fields regularly and there are numerous issues around where this is going.
Another debate, though😀

It seems to have changed.

Back in the 70s I knew a guy - not an academic - with a PhD who insisted on being called "Doctor" and was regarded as being somewhat odd as a result. Back then only medics were called "Doctor".

I now know a number of people with PhDs all of whom are called "Doctor" and nobody bats an eyelid.