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!

I'd say it is completely normal and no one who has worked hard for a PhD should feel in the least embarrassed about using it.

Having said that a friend of mine is a world expert in her field. She uses Dr Maiden Name for all professional purposes but Mrs Married Name socially.

I feel way more like Dr Billion than Mrs Billion.

It's my title - I use it at work, or when I'm asked for one.

If I ever complete my PHD I will certainly be using my hard earned title!

No, trust me on this one, it is most definitely her issue. I can give you the reasons why but this is not the time nor the place. I suspect she's not unique though.

Completely normal!!
No such thing as as an easy PhD.

Mine took me 7 years while working full time and I had a young family. I earned it.

Plus I work as an academic, there's an expectation that I'm Dr.... until I become a professor.

Medical Drs use the title both professionally and personally so people know who they are and they can help in case of emergencies (as the GMC say they must offer to help), not to brag.

Fine to call yourself a (non-medical) Dr in professional settings, but otherwise it is seriously cringy and probably embarrassing/potentially dangerously time wasting in an emergency having to explain you are not a medical Dr.

Otherwise no-one outside of professional settings care about your education level and using Dr is just the same as those who cringingly put MA, MSc, BSc (Hons) after their names.

Similar for dentists (I believe) they are dental surgeons, their title is Mr but a lot of younger dentists refer to themselves as Dr. The dentist I work with had a patient apologise to him a couple of weeks ago for calling him Mr (insert surname) for the last 20 years when he felt he should have called him Dr (insert surname) Dentist replied “please, just call me Dave“.

I've worked in science academia a long time.
My colleagues who are Drs only refer to themselves as that in formal or professional settings. They say they wouldn't want to be confused to be a medical doctor! It's up to the individual though.
I have an MPhil in medical science and I sometimes call myself 'a third of a doctor' as a joke

Yeah they do. Unless they’re completely ignorant of academia.

I don’t have a phd but massively respect anyone who does.

It would be odd to work in HE or industry, earn a phd, and not signpost it.

Why shouldn’t they?

Also, arguably harder work to progress from nothing to phd than nothing to medical degree. (And will take the same time or longer.)

Someone at work (a user experience designer) used to sign their name Steve (Phd) and a whole team of contract designers (about 30) used to take the piss

I tend to use mine professionally (science job but not academia) as most people with PhDs do in my organisation.
I am also Dr on my bank account.
Otherwise usually use Mrs.
But if you've earned it why not use it though? Getting a PhD is hard work.
Also my friend uses her Dr title on everything and gets upgraded very frequently!!

Outside of my GP practice or dental surgery I don’t see that I would. I speak to many people on a daily basis and quite a lot of them have the title of Dr and I have no idea with the majority of them whether they have a PhD or are a medical doctor.

What is an 'easy' PhD?

You mean it would have a higher level of importance if they were a Professor instead? PhD so common of course🙄🤣 <joke>

I don't have a problem with those who are not medical doctors using Dr as a title. They have more than earned it.

I’d ignore you if you asked me to refer to you as dr.

🙄🙄

I’m a doctor. Don’t use title much. I think in academia those with phds are always know as doctor. Completely normal. Find it odd when people use it in their personal life if non medical e.g. if on a plane might be asked to help!

Even at work don’t go by Dr title often at all. But doctor means to teach so academics have a right to use it too. As do dentists and vets. But I think using it in your personal life all the time is a bit much regardless of how you earned the title. Particularly as in day to day life you might use your medical doctors skills but not your physics PhD skills.

I think a PhD is much harder than a medical degree! So self directed and requires such drive.

PhDs are real doctors. It's people like me that are the frauds! I have a bachelors degree and my professional qualifications but not a research degree, hence doctor is an honorary title.
I am slightly uneasy about PhDs who work in a clinical setting using the term. Obviously they aren't doing anything wrong, it's their legitimate title, but I think it can cause confusion for patients. I worked with a Nurse Consultant once who had a PhD. A middle aged male, with the words Consultant and Dr on his name badge was, unsuprisingly, assumed to be a medical doctor by a lot of patients. I also know a couple of PhD psychologists who are regularly assumed to be psychiatrists. All these people are highly qualified and very good at their jobs but I feel strongly that especially these days patients should know precisely what the profession of the person treating them is, and even if unintentional, the use of Dr in healthcare settings can be confusing.
But with that slight proviso, which isn't unsurmountable anyway, if you've earned a title and want to use it, why not? And if you've earned a title that you don't want to use, it's also fine. It's just a matter of personal choice really.

A quick google indicates that this person (never heard of her) was a bit of a charlatan, looks like an internet purchase, not to be confused with a proper PhD.

I meant medical doctor! I don’t have a PhD lol I’m too lazy

I don't think you yourself can have a PhD if you speak of 'easy' PhDs, they are by far the worst bit of becoming an academic and I just know you haven't done one!

I only use Dr for work, and if asked for a title, say on a drop down menu. In everyday life, it does not come up at all. My students use my first name, although sometimes Dr or Prof when writing to me. I find Uk academics less funny about this than US academics.

I wouldn't say my title is anything else though if asked, that would be weird!

Don't have one myself however if I met someone with a PHD I would expect them to have Dr in their title.

Well that shows exactly how ignorant you are. You don't value the years of work that someone has put in to obtain a PhD? They are entirely entitled to being called Doctor, that is their title.
Would you refuse to address a member of the aristocracy as Lord So and So, or a Knight as Sir Whatnot? If not, then your refusal to call a PhD holder is even more disgusting as no effort is actually required to inherit a hereditary title.

My holiday companion specifically only ever uses his when booking flights - and coincidence or not, we regularly get a row of 3 seats for one person, three seats for two of us, over-wing extra leg room, and row 1 seats allocated….
We never pre- reserve seats for ourselves.

Myself personally - I wouldn’t.

Lol yes putting your bachelors after your name is cringe.

When I was renting via an agency there was an idiotic estate agent who put “BA Business” after his name on emails.

Source of much mirth 😊

Completely normal to me. I don't have a phd but would expect a doctor to be anyone with a PhD.