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!

People I work with (researchers) use it in their email sign offs, and any professional papers they write.
Similarly I state my professional qualification in my external email sign off, because they are relevant to my role, but I wouldn't dream of using them outside that (well, CV I suppose...) and I'm not arsy enough to use any other post-nominal letters.

In truth it is lesser in the sense they only have to pass the course content, not make a substantial contribution to the field or satisfy originality requirements.

Are you sure you deal with them? If so, I hope you speak more clearly and plainly when you do. That’s a right old word salad which I’m not sure creates the impression you’d like it to 😬

In my family most people are either a medical doctor or a PhD holder - the only person in the extended family circle who had an issue with the PhD holders being called doctor was the former partner of an uncle who before long had everyone in the family - medical and PhD - united in the view that she was as nasty as she was dim, and had to go.

Normal, not pretentious, that's your title with a PhD.

I don't think they meant any PhD subject was irrelevant, but rather that it's kind of irrelevant to, for example, your electricity provider (as a previous poster said) whether you have one, and so insisting on being addressed as Dr in those circumstances is kind of pompous.

There is no such thing as an easy PhD; you are showing your ignorance.

Medical doctors only use ‘Dr’ as a courtesy title. PhD doctors are the ‘true’ doctors and have every right to title themselves as such, in all areas of their life. They are doctors, after all.

Of course YABU. And a little jealous, too…

Nope. There are many ways to be successful. But having a big house can be a symptom of financial success. And to most people, at least a measure of financial success is desirable in life.

I find that the ones who have REALLY "made it" (financially/professionally) are able to be modest and humble by that point. It's the ones still climbing the greasy pole who have something to prove and wave their willies/doctorates about the place.

If you're filling in a form, put Dr, fine. But don't introduce yourself as "Dr X" outside of your professional life unless you want to be seen as a bellend. IMHO.

In academia, only PhDs are considered worthy of the title "Dr". I have heard an academic friend refer to medical doctors as "people with two bachelor's degrees". And in the UK when hospital doctors get to be senior enough to be consultants, they are called "Mr" or "Mrs/Ms" -- I'm not sure what that's about.

There was a movement on Twitter a few years back for women with PhDs to put "Dr" in their screen name, to emphasise that yes, there are women working in science too. Every female PhD has stories of signing in to some event as "Dr Smith" and being overlooked by the host/organiser who is expecting to see a man.

However, for me, calling yourself "Doctor" in non-work settings is a pretentious thing to do (whether you have a PhD or just the two MBs). For a medical doctor there's an extra reason to avoid doing so, in case the person you're talking to asks for free advice about their haemorrhoids.

If it was relevant to my files of work I’d use it

So if telling me I’m trolling is not troll hunting then what is it?

Something isn’t just ‘is’ because you say it is, you know.

For someone who keeps saying stop you seem to be trying to prolong this exchange as much as possible.

How many exclusive male titles are there outside the peerage. Can only think of this one, but I have a feeling there's going to be more...

Why don’t you answer some of the other posters pensione? People are genuinely interested in what bugs you so much about doctorates and less interested in your troll hunting bickering.

My previous boss had Prof. Dr xxx on his passport. Don't believe it ever got him an upgrade, and he always asked!

Yes, that would be helpful. I answered one of your questions above, but you never responded. If you could engage with a broader range of posts it might help to explain your perspective.

Edited to add: that was, of course, directed to @pensione

@Throckmorton also the reason I mentioned folk having big houses is because I'm an estate agent. So when I meet people, it's in the context of their house/financial circumstances. Obviously there is more to life than money/houses though.

And actually, we do have a giggle at people who come on the phone and say "it's Mrs X/Mr Y" here as well as someone who introduces themself as "Dr/Prof". Even though Mr/Mrs are not "earned" titles. I mean I don't phone up my clients and say "Hello, it's Mrs Cat Lady here from XYZ Estate Agents". That just sounds stand-offish.

Nah! DH never uses his

Behold! A man manly man doesn't use his!

Just remembered: My Mum was a medical doctor. The only time I ever remember her calling herself "Dr Samarrange" was when she had to phone the police about something. Presumably she thought this would make her sound like a more serious caller.

It’s interesting to see the word validation come up again and again.

Again, to the chippy brigade - would it ever occur to you to look sideways at someone saying ‘it’s Mrs Price’ and think ‘snobby cow! Who cares if she’s married! How embarrassing, looking for validation etc etc’

In both academia and healthcare it’s just as normal and everyday to use your Dr title as it’s your actual title to the exact same extent as e.g. Mrs. It’s not seeking public validation. It’s just your title 🤷‍♀️

There isn’t anything special about it and so all one can do in response to all the bristling ‘I’d refuse to use it’ or the desperately nonchalant ‘I just chuckle at him!’ is to go 🤷‍♀️

You must move in strange circles if you know anyone who introduces themselves with a title of any kind. My title is Dr, as it is for the majority of my colleagues. Everyone uses first names, always.

I knew one guy who was a med student and insisted on booking tables in restaurants under Doctor Surname. As an older person I've dated two people with phds. One insisted on being called Dr surname. The one I've settled down with doesn't care how he's referenced

You must spend a lot of time laughing in your office 🤷‍♀️

You've yet to offer any actual explanation of how you formed your view. Your posts are repetitive. I don't have to hunt them as they appear in front of me.
What exactly IS your issue?

I know quite a few people with PHDs and they use their title. Why wouldn't they? They wouldn't introduce themselves as 'Dr Smith' but would use it if there was a drop down box etc.

Why on earth would people think that people with PHDs are not 'real' doctors? People always come out with 'what if you'd put Dr on the plane booking and there was an emergency?' as if having that title contractually means you need to be able to provide medical care. I'm sure airline staff are not that stupid to not realise there is more than one type of doctor!