Why is it considered pretentious for non-MDs who have doctorates to use their title?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I remember when WaPo made fun of a certain Trump official for insisting on being called Dr when he only had a PhD. Then "Dr" Jill Biden came along and double standards arrived.


Surely you have a link to that.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I hear this a lot. You can't call yourself Dr. unless you have an MD, otherwise it's just pretentious. Only the MDs are "real doctors." And for some reason it's even OK for the MD to use Dr. in a social, non-professional setting but not the PhD or EdD. Why?

It's especially common on the right. The mockery of our First Lady's earned degree is commonplace.


It’s because “doctorates” in education are worthy of scorn. The quality of research is ridiculous.


What's your educational background?
Anonymous
Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Because it’s true.

Unless you have MD, DOM, or DDS after your last name, YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR.

A doctor is a physician. Period.


My brother-in-law with a PhD in history IS NOT A DOCTOR. And he introduces himself as “Dr____ all the freakin time. It’s embarrassing.


What’s embarrassing? Is your ignorance.


Awwwwwwww, you sound triggered, kitten :mrgreen:


Nope. And you going around calling people “kitten” in an aggressive attempt to trigger them is gross. You should print this out and take it to a therapist; your desperation and condescension is maladaptive.


Triggered again, lolz!!!!
Anonymous
What qualifies you to assess research? You weren't trained to be a researcher.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Semi-related but here's a fun story. I'm a female physician and I had to put a piece of tape over the first name on my badge. Our practice environment is a zoo so at the end of every encounter I say "glad you came in, we'll take good care of you. As a reminder I'm Dr. XXX". To a person, patients (mostly men) would *physically reach out to grasp my badge*, which is at boob level, natch, and say, "thanks Larla!".

For years it didn't bother me, until it did. We're in a professional environment, not a cocktail party, Bob. I address patients by their last names. Seems reasonable to expect that same.

And no I never use my professional title outside of work, because that's weird and lame. But in the work environment, yes.

And no this doesn't happen to my male colleagues.


And all I’d be wondering is:

“why does she have tape over part of her name tag?”

“Does she realize it’s there?”

“Maybe they misspelled her first name? If so, why don’t they get her a new name tag?”

“Is this office that cheap/disorganized/whatever that they don’t fix mistakes like that?”

“How long has that tape been there? Is it dirty? Catching and holding germs?”

“Is her first name a secret? Maybe she’s being stalked by someone?”

“Maybe she’s worried about getting sued for malpractice and doesn’t want people to know her first name?”

“Is she even a real Dr? Or did she steal a name badge and cover up “Bob” with tape?”






So you’re probably causing all sorts of consternation and problems for your patients that you’re not even aware of.

You’re a Doctor. You can afford a new name tag with just your last name, FFS.
Anonymous
I have an Ivy Ph.D. I tend not to use “Dr.” when I was very young, I did. Because I am female.

It is reverse snobbery I guess..in Ivy institutions, everyone has a doctorate so what tends to be used is Mr. And Ms.

However, I once had a client who hadn’t read or retained my info and was surprised as heck at the end of the engagement to learn of the Ph.D.

Do physicians in UK also go by Mr.?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I have an Ivy Ph.D. I tend not to use “Dr.” when I was very young, I did. Because I am female.

It is reverse snobbery I guess..in Ivy institutions, everyone has a doctorate so what tends to be used is Mr. And Ms.

However, I once had a client who hadn’t read or retained my info and was surprised as heck at the end of the engagement to learn of the Ph.D.

Do physicians in UK also go by Mr.?


Strangely, physicians in Britain go by the honorarium Dr. by not surgeons.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.


Ok, I’ll preface this by saying I’m on your side and agree with you on the last part of your post - but the other part makes you sound like an arrogant dick. If you told me that, I would never call you anything but your first name. See, the thing is, I have boundaries, too. And not suffering people who are full of themselves is one of them.


You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.


Ok, I’ll preface this by saying I’m on your side and agree with you on the last part of your post - but the other part makes you sound like an arrogant dick. If you told me that, I would never call you anything but your first name. See, the thing is, I have boundaries, too. And not suffering people who are full of themselves is one of them.


You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc.


+1000

I call the doctor I see the most (a specialist) by his first name, and he's more than fine with it. I guess he lacks the insecurity PP suffers from.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.


Ok, I’ll preface this by saying I’m on your side and agree with you on the last part of your post - but the other part makes you sound like an arrogant dick. If you told me that, I would never call you anything but your first name. See, the thing is, I have boundaries, too. And not suffering people who are full of themselves is one of them.


You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc.


+1000

I call the doctor I see the most (a specialist) by his first name, and he's more than fine with it. I guess he lacks the insecurity PP suffers from.


+1 I used to be friend with a med student and she always talked how she had to dress nice to create boundaries with her patients. She was very insecure. I hope she has changed and is not like Pp anymore.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Outside of professional or academic settings it’s over the top to expect to be called “Dr” no matter the degree you have. If everyone around you is going by their first name, you shouldn’t expect to be addressed with Dr.

In academic and professional settings MDs and PhDs are both doctors.

There’s not a lot of ambivalence here. I have a PhD in title science.


This. Zero reason for any “Dr” to use the title in a social setting.


Well, maybe one. I'm a physician, and I almost never go by "Dr" outside the office. I certainly don't introduce myself as "Dr Larla" unless it is in the clinic or hospital.

But I am a pediatrician, and when I run into a 5 year old at the store, I'm "Dr Larla" to them. It is adorable.


Are you talking about your patients, I hope? You don't insist on random children calling you Dr.?


Oh, I thought you would understand "I certainly don't introduce myself as "Dr Larla" unless it is in the clinic or hospital." Yes, these are my patients. Generally I hear them telling their parents nearby "It's Dr. larla! It's Dr. Larla!"

Have a great day.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.


Ok, I’ll preface this by saying I’m on your side and agree with you on the last part of your post - but the other part makes you sound like an arrogant dick. If you told me that, I would never call you anything but your first name. See, the thing is, I have boundaries, too. And not suffering people who are full of themselves is one of them.


You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc.


Boundaries protect my patients mostly. So they can tell me something in confidence and I am bound to keep it confidential--not sure what you are trying to say?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Outside of professional or academic settings it’s over the top to expect to be called “Dr” no matter the degree you have. If everyone around you is going by their first name, you shouldn’t expect to be addressed with Dr.

In academic and professional settings MDs and PhDs are both doctors.

There’s not a lot of ambivalence here. I have a PhD in title science.


This. Zero reason for any “Dr” to use the title in a social setting.


Well, maybe one. I'm a physician, and I almost never go by "Dr" outside the office. I certainly don't introduce myself as "Dr Larla" unless it is in the clinic or hospital.

But I am a pediatrician, and when I run into a 5 year old at the store, I'm "Dr Larla" to them. It is adorable.


Are you talking about your patients, I hope? You don't insist on random children calling you Dr.?


My disgusting misogynistic physician step father insisted that his son’s girlfriends call him “doc.” Next level insecurity is what gave rise to that nonsense.


I work with some older MDs who insist that everyone call them Dr. So and So. The team is comprised of highly educated people. We are all at the top of our field and we're all working collaboratively and yet a couple of these MDs (all men) insist on using their titles. It's so bizarre.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Im an MD, I only allow my patients to call me Dr.--it creates boundaries that are there to protect both of us and to define the relationship. I want to barf when all these school educators go by doctor.


Ok, I’ll preface this by saying I’m on your side and agree with you on the last part of your post - but the other part makes you sound like an arrogant dick. If you told me that, I would never call you anything but your first name. See, the thing is, I have boundaries, too. And not suffering people who are full of themselves is one of them.


You need to work on your bedside manner, Doc.


Boundaries protect my patients mostly. So they can tell me something in confidence and I am bound to keep it confidential--not sure what you are trying to say?


When you insist patients call you doctor (or introduce yourself as dr.) it’s calling attention to the expertise of the title, and basically signaling that you know better than your patients. Doctors (the profession) use the title to highlight their authority.

It’s not protecting the patients in any way. You need to examine why you think it is.
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