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Addressing doctors - Dr or Mr / Mrs / Ms - Confusing !

43 replies

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 20:50

bluebear clarified in one of emkana's threads that a certain consultant was a Dr not a Ms... I thought the distinction was based on seniority etc. and the all consultants were addressed as Mr / Mrs etc. but it turns out the differentiation is on whether they are a physician or a surgeon (if I have understood things correctly from my googling).

Quite interesting (if a tad pedantic)...

"In the UK, the division of physicians and surgeons into `doctor' and Mr derives from the medieval origins of physicians as educated graduates, and the surgeons as apprentices (usually for 7 years) of barber-surgeons... In France, the first official organization of barber-surgeons was founded in Rouen in 1096. A similar organization was formed in London in 1308,5 and it was not until 1745, that George II separated the barbers and surgeons by an act of parliament, and in 1800 that the Royal College of Surgeons was formed in England."
\link{http://www.jrsm.org/cgi/content/full/99/4/197\Source}

Did everyone else know this ? I've always been highly unsure of the distinction between the two titles !

OP posts:
Flossam · 23/04/2006 20:52

I knew! But kind of have too! Grin

VeniVidiVickiQV · 23/04/2006 20:52

Hub, why did you start this in archive?

Grin
FrayedKnot · 23/04/2006 20:52

I did know..

But I was once a medical secretary in my dim and distant past.

Waswondering · 23/04/2006 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bluebear · 23/04/2006 20:56

I'm sorry I'm sorry, i apologise for being pedantic - just wanted to make sure that any emails were correctly addressed because some clinicians get shirty about it.

From what I remember surgeons are not 'proper doctors Smile' and hence being Mr/Miss/Mrs when they reach consultant status (but are Drs until then) whereas the rest of them are Drs all the way to consultant level (until they get to Prof. anyway)

Might be wrong though.

Posey · 23/04/2006 20:56

Yes I knew but I have a medical background too

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:02

I didn't think you were being pedantic, bb ! Just helpful, because various individuals deffo get rather upset when incorrectly addressed (particularly by oiky members of the public like myself I guess, LOL).

And VVV - I started this in (archive) obviously because I am clueless. Grin Never did understand the difference / purpose of this catch-all btw... anyone care to clear up another piece of doubt in my mind ?

Whilst we're 'educating hub' I had a question for hmb or any physics teachers yesterday.... but I've forgot the damned question, LOL...

OP posts:
hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:03

See.... all the medic / medic-connected types know, but oiks like me just scratch their head and think 'wtf ???' Smile

OP posts:
LadySherlockofLGJ · 23/04/2006 21:07

I just call mine Martin, or Dr Dishy when he is not looking or listening. Grin

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrry easy on the eye.

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:07

hey bb - is all clean and tidy in the cave ? Has all your work finished ? We should meet up one day as we're often near you visiting my folks. Things are a bit simpler now dd is a little older too. Pity they've shifted lots of the cute animals out of the park round the corner... I spent ages there as a kid. I think we donated a tortoise once too, and released spawn in the pond etc....

OP posts:
hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:09

LGJ. You minx, LOL.

I was at Mars' the other day. Opened up her PC. It was caked in several inches of dust. Lovely. Couldn't fix it mind you, but then it's not a Mac. Smile

OP posts:
hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:10

I don't think she'll be on for several days btw.

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oops · 23/04/2006 21:11

mini-hijack.....
hub2dee, did you eye up my jane powertwin outside starbuck's yesterday????
i just had this strange feeling it was you pushing your dd in the mountain buggy terrain-i must have seen a photo of you and her on here at some pt

forgive me if not and call me a weirdo! Smile

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:12

Hey bb - I reread my OP and it could be read as if I was having a go... but that was deffo not the sentiment IYSWIM. Pls don't think I was thinking you were being antsy !

Smile
OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/04/2006 21:13

I'd like to address my GP as twat.

bluebear · 23/04/2006 21:13

Hi H2D, most of the cave is tip top and sparkling at last - but it was still a building site at the end of Feb..and we have a small matter of a broken drain to fix.

There is supposed to be a wildlife rescue centre moving into that space in the park, so should have some cute animals again..we tend to go to the one nearer to us - has a great toddler playground and they've refurbished the bigger kids play area too.

CHICagoMUM · 23/04/2006 21:16

I don't call mine anything, just start acting rather school girly and simper, like lgj's he is rather good looking and a charmer - ask vvv).

bluebear · 23/04/2006 21:16

No, I didn't think you were being antsy in your op. I just felt uncomfortable being so pedantic on emkana's thread, seeing as she is having such a stressful time - took a long time deciding whether to post or not, but knowing how certain clincians are, thought it best to post and apologise.
Smile Smile Smile

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:18

LOL, oops.... was it that MASSIVE tractor thingy, one infront, one behind which you did a 360 double spin entrance into the famed coffee shop in Crouch End?

Grin

Stylish move ! Wink Oh, and nice disk brakes !

You should have said hello ! I was outside waiting for dw to exit with her caffeine fix, LOL. We had parked at Mars' and then walked up... Yeah, if anyone ever sees a fat bloke with a blue Mountain Buggy in N. London it's probably me LOL.

OP posts:
hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:24

Glad you're still smiling, bb... Let's do a playground or the animals one day !

Smile
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oops · 23/04/2006 21:31

yep, the massive tractor thingy....a necessity i am afraid Smile
double buggies are a bloody nightmare, let me tell you Smile

the good thing about it is that it will do the aforementioned swivel into starbucks very nicely!

I would have felt sucha twunt if i went up and started calling you funny names in the street...and shouting that i am called oops! {grin]
It was starnge- it was more a feeling that i knew you,a dn i had to work out how and why really ...

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:44

I would be flattered if someone stopped me and said 'aren't you hub ?' LOL. Hope you had a nice coffee. Smile

OP posts:
oops · 23/04/2006 21:45

had a nice frozen mocha Smile
and returneed some of the bits of jigsaw that ds1 aquired from there on a previous visit Shock

hub2dee · 23/04/2006 21:51

LOL, dw walked out with the same. I don't drink the stuff myself. Tastes all yuck IMHO.

Smile
OP posts:
fairyjay · 23/04/2006 21:59

A rule was passed several years ago that entitled dentists to use the title Dr. if they choose.