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!

Of course I value access to medical care but no, I don’t ponder the people who do the research, any more than I expect them to ponder my field of expertise.

They are recompensed for their work, and have the expectation of advancing their careers, as they should.

I’ve not referred to any doctorate or job as rubbishy or pointless, those are your own prejudices.

You’re right, I was a mature student at 27 with a house to run so worked 24 hours a week and I was pregnant with my first child.

Took two years out and went back to complete my degree and in my final year year, I had a 2 year old and was pregnant with my second, I gave birth in July of my 3rd year. So yes I’m more than proud of my 2:1 degree!! I think I done spectacularly under the circumstances!

I would still never tell anyone about my degree unless the asked. I made a point of saying I had a 2:1 on here as I was illustrating that I done well, but I’m still not familiar with Phd, which you tried to use as an insult…. I know what they are in general terms but the point I was illustrating was that Jo public would assume Doctor with medical professional

I would say it shows no understanding at all of the title Doctor and what it represents.

No, you still seem to be struggling here.

It is a fact that a person with a PhD is entitled to call themselves a doctor, if they so choose. I am not disputing that.

Whether or not it is “appropriate” to make that choice is a value judgment, or a matter of opinion. I have given my opinion, on what is clearly a matter of opinion, and there is no basis upon which you get to determine it “incorrect”.

And, while you may not like or agree with my opinion, that does not make it ill-informed. What information do you think I am lacking, in reaching my opinion?

What a snobby thing to say. There are many first class honours students who wouldn’t have a PHD on their radar.

It’s funny how PHD holders get to be proud of their achievement and deserve acknowledgement but you’re sneering at a woman for having the temerity to say she got a 2:1.

Being asked to help a person in medical distress in a restaurant or a plane because you insisted on the prefix is enough for most of the PhDs I know to avoid using it publicly.
Does that ever actually happen though? The only time I have ever been personally asked to get involved in a medical emergency outside of work was when our neighbours' child had a febrile convulsion, and obviously they knew what I did for a living. I have responded to calls for medical personnel on a couple of flights and a train journey but they were just general calls, nobody went down the passenger list looking for a doctor to approach directly. If that's never happened to me in the 35+ years since I graduated, I can't believe PhDs are having their journeys interrupted by requests to perform a cricothyroidotomy with a biro on a regular basis. And in the unlikely event it did happen it isn't very hard to say "Sorry I'm not a medical doctor" is it?

Exactly! I had a 2 year old and was about to pop with my second baby when I completed my dissertation. I couldn’t have cared less about a masters or PhD I just wanted to sleep 🤣

I had no desire whatever to take it any further.

All of the staff who teach on the post-graduate course I'm taking (MA) have a PhD and have the word Dr in front of their names. It's really normal within the University; most of the teaching staff have Doctorates, as far as I can see.

Having said that, although it's part and parcel of the University world, using it outside of the academic sphere is something people decide on according to how they feel.

Friends of mine who teach at University level and have PhDs use their Dr title when doing something work related but not necessarily outside of work. One has small children - if she is ringing someone about a party after school, she'll just say that it's 'Susie Jones' on the phone, not 'Dr Jones'.

I think that the crucial bit is what you mean when you say 'go by the title ‘Dr’'.

It seems to me to be more than acceptable to use the title when you have a PhD. You should certainly use it in a professional context.

Most people would use it on bills, bank accounts etc.

There will be more informal moments, though, when just your name is probably the right option, as I mentioned above.

The secondhand cringe is killing me 😂

Posters insisting over and over that someone with a PhD is not a doctor. Digging in the heels and refusing to admit to not actually understanding the origin of 'doctor'. I cannot imagine actually refusing to address someone by their legitimate title based on some ignorant 'belief' about something. How embarrassment 🤣

Dr is an honorific on the same level as Mr, Mrs, Ms etc. They are all just a form of address traditionally used as a courtesy to show respect or social standing. It's a different matter if one disagrees with the use of any kind of social title but picking and choosing which ones are ok and which ones aren't just highlights a bias and/or a lack of understanding. It's ok not to agree with 'titles' or 'honorifics'. They are pretty outdated, to be fair 🤷‍♀️
People addressing themselves as 'Mrs' are doing exactly what they disparage those addressing themselves as 'Dr' do. Now that IS funny😝

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!
Couldn't agree more. Of course, no one is going to address that particular hypocrisy.

It isn’t their “correct” title
Except it is. Up there with Mr, Mrs, Ms..

they have an option to use it but are not obliged to do so. If someone chooses to refer to themselves by an earned title outside of a context where it has any relevance, I can only assume it’s because they’re desperate to let everyone, everywhere, know about their qualifications
Like all those who call themselves 'Mrs'? 😂

Lawyers are a good example. They are entitled to use the title “esquire” but most decline to do so (perhaps outside of very specific contexts) - largely because it’s seen as outdated, pompous and elitist
Not in the UK. Esquire is generally an old form of address used in the absence of any other official title though KCs can and do use 'esquire' . It is in the US that esquire is commonly used by lawyers

It's like going up to strangers and saying "I'm really academic and I think it's important that you know so you can be impressed"
Do you feel the same about the use of 'Mrs'? "I'm married and I think it is important that you know and admire my lifes achievement"

Maybe the 'but they aren't doctors' posters should start here: https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/the-history-of-doctor#:~:text=The%20word%20doctor%20comes%20from,teaching%20and%20learning%20was%20afoot.

Using the title outside clinical or academic environments is an ego thing.

Definitely a red flag the person is a massive narcissist.

It depends on the context of course - if someone calls me Ms I don't correct them, in a professional context I might use Dr - and other people do. I note - as have many many others - that in professional settings men are more likely to be referred to by their title than women so I also ascertain how others are being addressed.
I've never heard of an online PhD and don't think of any PhD as easily attained so I'd be careful about using those distinctions.

What a bitchy and ignorant comment.
Why should a PhD not being on someone's radar when completing their undergraduate degree denote them not 'being up to much'?
There are so so many ways to live a fulfilling life or to be satisfied with one's achievements, a PhD is only a marker of success within certain contexts.

Yep!
I use my 'Dr' title because it is just that - my title. Just like I assume people who change their title via marriage also use their title in everyday life?
When someone asks for my title, for example when making an order or something, I say Dr.
Like, am I supposed to lie?
I also enjoy that it means on paper my name is gender neutral.

Dr is an honorific on the same level as Mr, Mrs, Ms etc. They are all just a form of address traditionally used as a courtesy to show respect or social standing. It's a different matter if one disagrees with the use of any kind of social title but picking and choosing which ones are ok and which ones aren't just highlights a bias and/or a lack of understanding. It's ok not to agree with 'titles' or 'honorifics'. They are pretty outdated, to be fair
Which is precisely my view. If we really need them at all (and I am not convinced that we do), I’d prefer that they were limited to “Mr” and “Ms” (or, even better, a gender neutral equivalent).

If you've got a PhD, you're entitled to go by Dr. But, I know someone with an honorary PhD who uses the title Dr. That is cringey to me.

‘Easiest phds’ - ?! What would those be, then? Ability to start fucking stupid threads on the Internet? Do you know how difficult it is to get a PhD, op? Obviously not. Ffs.

Sure.
Do you always just make random stuff up?

You're lacking the ability to incorporate facts into your decision making process. Why? Who knows.
I'm past caring though.

No, I’m not, thanks but I’m glad to hear that you’re past caring - interacting with someone who doesn’t have the ability to differentiate between facts and opinions is always painful.

I love an ironic post.

This 100%

Within an academic/educational setting it makes sense. It indicates your level of expertise at what you’re doing. Outside of that it could be a bit cringey IMO. The person on the street doesn’t give a shit what you studied/your level of academic achievement 20 years ago, and signalling with Dr will just make you look a show off/pretentious. But of course go ahead if you wish.

This. You use it when its professionally appropriate. As it is a professional qualification.

Nobody is going up to folk on the street though, it's more in sitiations where a name and/or title is required/the norm that some folk will opt for Dr.

“The vast majority of the public associate the title Dr with a medical doctor”

Do they, aye? Can you cite research on this? Are you sure they aren’t equally aware that the title means someone has a PhD? Or are you just presenting your own random opinion as fact?