To do a PHD just to be able to use Dr?

[Confortableorwhat]

Unfortunately, I don't really think that's an option for me, but I need a title to use.

I currently use Mrs, have done for 30+ years, alongside late DH's surname. I married very young and TBH it never crossed my mind not to take his name and use the title, although I wouldn't do it now.

Anyway, I've been a widow for several years, I don't like using Mrs because I'm not married, I'm not a "Miss" and whilst I understand Ms is a solution for some, I don't actually know anyone who uses it IRL and find it awkward.

Is there a good option?

I think it’s odder that doctors with a medical qualification think it’s ok to try to monopolise the title Doctor.

Donate £100k to the Tory party and become a Lady or a Baroness

Maybe we could call medical doctors "medic" from now on, and leave Dr for those with PhDs (including medics with PhDs).

Something like that. What I think medical doctors need is a protected title that covers all specialities that distinguishes them from doctors with other types of qualifications, but that’s a completely different debate. I find it bizarre that they don’t have that already.

We essentially do: when we encounter medical doctors in the capacity we expect and require them to be medical doctors i.e. in a hospital or GP surgery, we know that they’re a medical doctor rather than a doctor of philosophies because it’s illegal to portray yourself as a medical doctor when you aren’t one. Outside of a hospital when you meet Dr Smith it doesn’t actually really matter whether you assume Dr Smith is a medical doctor or a doctor of philosophies because you aren’t going to be relying on them to diagnose your heart condition or prescribe you the correct antipsychotic.

You are widowed, you can carry on using Mrs if you want, widowed women I know still do

I know I can, I don't especially want to.

Ms will stop feeling awkward after a while.

Do people pronounce the Ms? Will school kids?

No, they don't use it even when that's how people write it, is my experience.

From memory, when I was at school all women teachers ended up as “Miiiiiisssssss???!” regardless of their marital status or title they actually chose to go by. Except for Ms Sidhu, who was vehement about being called Ms Sidhu and would correct pupils who didn’t use it - hence we all remembered and knew exactly how it was pronounced.

Exactly. The palaver over PhDs using Dr. (as is their correct title) is only ever introduced as some weird way to drag women with PhDs down - in the real world absolutely no one is being called upon to perform a tracheotomy on a plane just because they used their title when booking. And if I'm in hospital they don't ask my title anyway, but in the one instance it's randomly ended up on a form the MD said 'oh medicine or PhD?', I answered 'PhD' and the MD said 'oh cool' and we had a nice wee chat about my research - which is biomedical anyway.

I have a PhD, I use Dr. because it's my title. I'm not a Miss, Mrs, Ms, Prof., Dame, Rev., Duchess or any other title. I wouldn't ignore someone saying 'Ms Vaccine', but if you ask my title - it's Dr. I have never encountered anyone in my real life who has a problem with this, except my SIL, who is a twat about many things so doesn't count.

I think you should buy one of those plots of land and call yourself Lady. Problem solved!

just add whatever title you want, it's not like anyone will check

I'm a medically qualified Dr but just use ms and at work just go by my first name. find it all a bit cringe tbh

I work in higher ed. There's a sniffy attitude to people who use Dr when they're not actually employed to teach/research.

All my female friends use Ms like me, and a couple of them are married. Ms is fine!

Can a) you manage to actually pass any course for this qualification in UK? If not b) can you get PhD from some relatively easy program abroad where standard may be lower? ie get. a second rate PhD?

I posted last year as I was doing a joint symposium session with a male colleague who does not have a PhD. I felt uncomfortable putting Dr Saffron on the literature and slides, and Mumsnetters pointed out over and over again "you've earned the title, use it!"

I do use it in work settings but outside of work I generally don't, though I did say "It's Dr, actually" to an annoying tradesperson who asked "is it Mrs, darling?" when filling in paperwork. Usually I wouldn't do that. My bank cards just have my initials and surname on - though I do have Dr I'mJustMadAboutSaffron on my Tesco Clubcard!

Another one who's married and uses Ms. Never felt awkward. It hardly ever comes up!

This my favorite suggestion so far😂

I'm in the US and "Ms" is used by most women and has been for at least 40 years. Some women do prefer "Mrs", but " Miss" had completely gone out of fashion unless it's used for a child.

You could buy yourself a title @Confortableorwhat , would you like to be Lady Comfortable? I'd quite like to be Contessa Ada!

I know someone who suddenly started adding Lady to their name, she says it helps when booking restaurants etc!!

Except it was stated several times that the title ‘Dr’ was always for academia and medics took it on but don’t actually train to doctoral level.

That was my first thought.

I’m a Ms. Didn’t change my name when DH and I got married.

I specifically did 'O' level Biology and English because I thought I could put OBE after my name. Apparently you can't.

With hindsight it would better to become a 'Lollipop' person at a school crossing to get that accolade. 😕

Years of work just to change your title? Really? It is hard, its a lot of work, it will cost a lot of money and it will take years.

If you want to learn and enjoy the intellectual pursuit of it. If it will further your career then go for it. To change your title - its a rather silly.