How do you address your doctor?

But is the issue not more the term of address, in a practical situation?

Presumably anyone with a PhD has the right to call themselves 'doctor' but it's how they relate to people - e.g. in a medical sense, whether the patient does (or should) say "Yes Doctor, no Doctor" or whatever - and also whether the doctor expects this formality/professional deference during conversation.
 
cruchan09 said:
Probably wouldn't botehr me so much if I hadn't spent 4 years getting my PhD.
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A relation of my wife was in an ER in the States and introduced himself as Dr. **** (he has an engineering doctorate). The medical doctor started to explain the problem in detail and the clown of a relation had to explain that his doctorate was not in medicine. I appreciate that it must irk those who have a PhD that those who use the title of Doctor most usually do not have doctorates but that sort of carry on it idiotic.
 
Purple said:
A relation of my wife was in an ER in the States and introduced himself as Dr. **** (he has an engineering doctorate). The medical doctor started to explain the problem in detail and the clown of a relation had to explain that his doctorate was not in medicine. I appreciate that it must irk those who have a PhD that those who use the title of Doctor most usually do not have doctorates but that sort of carry on it idiotic.
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A very similar scenario occurs in the movie "Wildhogs" with Tim Allen as the patient. Funny scene too !

A while back I worked a brief stint in the field of Nuclear Medicine where Physics PhDs work directly with medical doctors. The PhDs were all using their Dr. title. One older nurse found it all a bit confusing and requested that only "real" doctors use the title. :D
 
Remix said:
One older nurse found it all a bit confusing and requested that only "real" doctors use the title. :D
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My friend has a PHD and lectures in a university.

His daughter arrived home from playing with her friend whos daddys is a consultant to tell him he wasn't the right kind of doctor:p
 
A relation of my wife was in an ER in the States and introduced himself as Dr. **** (he has an engineering doctorate). The medical doctor started to explain the problem in detail and the clown of a relation had to explain that his doctorate was not in medicine. I appreciate that it must irk those who have a PhD that those who use the title of Doctor most usually do not have doctorates but that sort of carry on it idiotic.
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Yeah, I would never use the title doctor in a hospital setting for that reason. Like I said, other than when applying for credit I rarely use it. When I was a self employed consultant (in a field bearing no relation to what I did my PhD in) it did help to sometimes use it.


A while back I worked a brief stint in the field of Nuclear Medicine where Physics PhDs work directly with medical doctors. The PhDs were all using their Dr. title. One older nurse found it all a bit confusing and requested that only "real" doctors use the title.
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That reminds of a stroy about a British policitican I read a few years ago, can't remember the name but he used the title doctor. One tabloid in a critical article mentioned the fact that the politician insisted on using the title 'Dr' even though he only had a PhD in nuclear physics :p
 
cruchan09 said:
One tabloid in a critical article mentioned the fact that the politician insisted on using the title 'Dr' even though he only had a PhD in nuclear physics :p
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:D
Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald always used his non-medical doctorate which was in economics (which is ironic considering the balls he made of managing the economy when he was in power).
 
Tony O'Reilly insist on being referred to as Dr (followed by his initials AJF). AFAIK, his doctorate was honourary.

Anyway, he dropped it like it a hot potato when he got the knighthood.
 
Staples said:
Tony O'Reilly insist on being referred to as Dr (followed by his initials AJF). AFAIK, his doctorate was honourary.

Anyway, he dropped it like it a hot potato when he got the knighthood.
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He could insist on Dr. Sir AJF O'Reilly...
 
cruchan09 said:
That reminds of a stroy about a British policitican I read a few years ago, can't remember the name but he used the title doctor. One tabloid in a critical article mentioned the fact that the politician insisted on using the title 'Dr' even though he only had a PhD in nuclear physics :p
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He "only" has a PhD in nuclear physics?! As if they come in you collect ten crisp packets and send away for one!
 
This post is really sorting the "Wheat from the Chaff". We have found out alot about posters on here. They are either Dr. with PhDs or Dr. without or have sisters, brothers or friends who have PhDs or who are just 'Doctors'.
 
Megan said:
This post is really sorting the "Wheat from the Chaff". We have found out alot about posters on here. They are either Dr. with PhDs or Dr. without or have sisters, brothers or friends who have PhDs or who are just 'Doctors'.
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Someone had to say it. Well done, Megan, you said what we were all thinking. I've noticed the quality some of the posters being a little under par lately, shall we say and it's nice to find like minded people;).
 
gearoidmm said:
Anyone who has done their fellowship exams and thus become a fellow of the royal college of surgeons call themselves Mr. Most surgical registrars would be Mr and occasionally the odd SHO manages to finish the exams before being promoted to registrar. All physicians are Dr.
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What if the person is female - would she still call herself Mr. ?
 
Medical doctors are called doctor because they doctor to people, not because they hold a qualification.
 
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