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!

Depends what you mean by 'use' - on your utility bills and such? Go ahead, noone cares. In general personal life, if you like, although personally for restaurant bookings or whatever I wouldn't really bother, not like it makes a massive difference. At work - maybe, depends on context. In academic circles would be completely normal, in a hospital would be potentially confusing due to the medical doctor/PHD confusion, in an unrelated field (e.g. you're an accountant who happens to have a PHD in Astronomy) would be quite weird and unnecessary. In my (corporate) job there's a few colleagues who have PHDs (in our field, not unrelated) and are quite keen we all know about it, insist on being addressed as 'Dr', have it on their email signatures etc which is a tad annoying/show-offy IMO, I get that they worked very hard and are entitled to be proud of their success but the PhD is totally optional for our work, I'd go so far as to say it's no indicator of how good you are at the job either, it's a very informal atmosphere at work, no-one else uses a title or honorific of any kind or uses the letters they're entitled to, so I think it's a bit off for just these colleagues to insist on their full/proper titles...

Lots of people showing don't understand the degree system. Medical doctor and PHD are both Doctorates. One medical, one in another subject.

Why do we find it so hard to acknowledge academics as worthy of recognition?

Seriously? It's totally normal! You have completed a doctorate and earned the title. Medical drs don't have a doctorate so arguably it's them that shouldn't be called Dr!

Really? I had multiple teachers with PhDs, one was a science teacher, one taught English, and one taught maths. I don't think it was ever commented on really.

Put it on your passport!

I've heard they will often upgrade you as they may call on you if there is a medical emergency...

If called upon you just have to say, if the passenger has an problem with florescence on his moth wings I can help, otherwise can I have another Gin and Tonic. Oh and a tinnie, winnie bag of pretzels.

(Unfortunately my 3 'O' Levels seem to have little swaying power...)

In general people should just use their professional titles within their professional settings. In the rest of the world, no-one cares. I have lots of friends and family with PhDs and MDs and none use them in day to day life.

DH has a PhD, as so loads of our friends, and I'm an academic (no PhD) so most of my colleagues have them too.

The norm is to use it at work if you work in academia, not to use it in work if you work in industry, and not to use it in your personal life.

A "doctor", quite literally, is an academic teacher. What IS pretentious is to use the title for somebody who hasn't put in the hard years of work required to slog through an actual research doctorate and was simply awarded it as a courtesy title like most physicians.

Oh, and I'll most definitely resort to using the title if anyone confronts me with the demeaning alternative of choosing between "Miss" and "Mrs" (but not Ms.)

I think the use of honorifics is dying out, so possibly others think like you - most companies I deal with go straight to my first name.

Exactly. Medics were allowed to use it as a courtesy title.

OP, you clearly know very little about academia. Maybe spend less time on needless frothing and put your spare energy into getting one of those ‘easy’ doctorates you seem preoccupied. You might learn something.

Medical Doctor is actually Mbchb- Bachelor or medicine, bachelor of surgery.
the title Dr is a courtesy.

Phd - doctor of philosophy. I know a few . Like medics they worked bloody hard for their titles - minimum 6 or 7 years - independent and original research.

If they choose to use their title, good on them. They deserve it.
My business card carries my professional designation, it’s relevant to my work, and I worked bloody hard for it.

Oooh. Tell us about this easy PhD please?

(Signed - Prof Cringey Pretentious - who was Dr Cringey Pretentious right uptill she got promoted to full Prof tchtch)

The point wasn't the subject - it was his obsession with the title.
How many do I know.. well there's me, my dad, various other relatives, colleagues, friends... lost count at 10 tbh.
None of us bother with the title outside of professional settings.
Not only does it confuse the general public, I see no reason for people to have extra information about my educational status. Same with my marital status.

I go by Ms, always have, always will.

It's fine for someone to use the title, like I said, they're technically entitled to. But, I was just presenting my experience of those who DO use it where nobody really cares.

BTW I also know a lot of medical doctors and the same applies.

Doctor is Latin for teacher. It is the correct title for someone with a PhD or DPhil.

It is used as a courtesy title for people who practice medicine. But they aren’t ‘real’ doctors if they only have the MBChB.

[I have, of course, cross-posted with others who have some knowledge of academia.]

I use the title dr because I hate Mrs. I would rather just be plain first name. I don’t think people need to know I have a PhD but equally people don’t need to know if I’m married.

I am happy with Ms. I only correct if someone say Mrs or have no option for Ms.

I would 100% use Dr if I was smart enough to get a PHD! YABU OP, use the bloody title!

We have people on here who are "proud" to use Mrs but apparently a woman is pretentious and above her station if she wants to use Dr? Fuck that!

What's your problem OP. I mean if you get a call out on a plane 'Is there a doctor on board?' there's not going to be a rush of PhD's.

Let me through I can quote poetry!

It's a courtesy title to recognise the achievement of contributing to the sum of knowledge.

Not to me. I don’t value it so why should I use their title?

I think if anyone's done the rigorous study and spent years earning a PhD they should call themselves Dr if they want to! If it's such a "easy" PhD why don't you pop off and get one?

Medics use it as a courtesy - hence why surgeons etc are called "Mr x".

So would I! Id like to get a PhD but Im too lazy. If there's an easy one out there I'm well up for it!

This!

@LadyThistledown he's allowed to be obsessed with the title he's earned it! And there was absolutely a tone to your post otherwise why tell everyone his phd was in creative writing?

Too bloody right I'm using my title of Dr (when asked for a title). I earned in and it beats having to pick sex-based titles.

One the OP hasn’t achieved. 😏

Spoken Latin? Are you sure?