If You Were A Doctor

[Razors Edge ★]

...would you insist on being called "Doctor Whatever Your Name Is"?  I assume jsharr would, but he is mostly a creature of tradition.

[Longjohn ★]

If I was a medical doctor it would be ok. Anything else is just pretentious.

[Razors Edge ★]

7 minutes ago, Longjohn said:

If I was a medical doctor it would be ok. Anything else is just pretentious.

????

Why wouldn't it always be pretentious? Or never?

[VladyP]

I could see jsharr as Dr. Rosenpenis.
 

 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Howie Mandel said:

I could see jsharr as Dr. Rosenpenis.

I try never to think of "jsharr" and "penis" in the same series of thoughts.  Sure, "dick" and "jsharr" may go together, but it's sort of a different connotation.

[Prophet Zacharia]

31 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

...would you insist on being called "Doctor Whatever Your Name Is"?  I assume jsharr would, but he is mostly a creature of tradition.

In what setting? The hospital/office? Absolutely. At the golf club by peers? No. At the country club by restaurant staff? Maybe... will it get me a better table?

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

In what setting? The hospital/office? Absolutely. At the golf club by peers? No. At the country club by restaurant staff? Maybe... will it get me a better table?

In the hospital/office, that would likely make sense - to some degree (and no sense if among a group where all already know each other and roles).  It would sort of make one ask why, though.  No one in my office looks to any other person with a different degree or skill set and addresses them differently.  Is that normal?  Outside of the military and police (and similar), who else besides doctors get special treatment that way? I don't even think judges - outside of a courtroom - call and make reservations under Judge Judy Davis.  Maybe they do?  

[JerrySTL ★]

Only if I was Dr. Demento.

[Prophet Zacharia]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

In the hospital/office, that would likely make sense - to some degree (and no sense if among a group where all already know each other and roles).  It would sort of make one ask why, though.  No one in my office looks to any other person with a different degree or skill set and addresses them differently.  Is that normal?  Outside of the military and police (and similar), who else besides doctors get special treatment that way? I don't even think judges - outside of a courtroom - call and make reservations under Judge Judy Davis.  Maybe they do?  

If you're talking about doctors addressing another peer that they know, then no. For a doctor they don't know, it would likely be more formal. And training physicians would refer to their supervisors as doctor out of respect. But with office staff, there is a power differential similar to the military, where doctors give ORDERS to others to complete. They aren't tasks or requests, but literally orders. And there is a respect component for the degree earned.

IDK if reservations get prioritized for doctors. But when given the option of selecting "Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss" for online registration, it simply makes sense to select the one that applies to you, regardless of whether you demand to be called that or not in social situations.

[VladyP]

12 minutes ago, JerrySTL said:

Only if I was Dr. Demento.

[Prophet Zacharia]

I would change my last name to "Who" and demand the proper title be used at all times. "The doctor" could be used by friends.

[Page Turner]

...when I was a corpsman in the Navy, people always called me "Doc", even though I wasn't one.  So been there, done that.

[Kirby]

In a professional setting, I think it's fine and appropriate to use the title if someone has earned it.  That doesn't mean everyone all day will be calling them that, but there are times in a professional setting where it's called for.

[Razors Edge ★]

Just now, Kirby said:

In a professional setting, I think it's fine and appropriate to use the title if someone has earned it.  That doesn't mean everyone all day will be calling them that, but there are times in a professional setting where it's called for.

What professional hasn't "earned" it?  Heck, what about non-professionals but hard workers?  I don't have a good honorific for my auto mechanic, but he is damn good at his job.

[Ralphie ★]

I loved that old beer commercial with Dr. Galiciwizc. 

[Prophet Zacharia]

18 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

What professional hasn't "earned" it?  Heck, what about non-professionals but hard workers?  I don't have a good honorific for my auto mechanic, but he is damn good at his job.

What do you recommend for calling your mechanic?

are you going to call your attorney “dr”?, since they do have a doctorate.

[shootingstar]

In a work setting where the doctor is hired to be and perform tasks as a doctor, yes, use "doctor".  A patient in a setting where s/he is getting advice, care.. its desirably, .doctor.  

I don't see real need for a person to be called a doctor in other settings...unless the person was giving a talk on a medical/health care matter to the public/non-medical group.  Otherwise the person must have abit of an inflated ego.

1.  I have a brother-in-law who has a PhD, he's been doing research (quantum physics) and teaching and supervising university students at all levels for past um 30 years.  He has never asked/expected any family member however distant, to use "Dr."... We've known him for past 30+ yrs.

2.  A sister and my nephew's wife are both physicians.  (emergency medicine and pediatrician) They have never asked family members to call them "DR."  Within the family, we recognize they are doctors...simply by fact, we ask whomever for medical advice  (to supplement a real examining doctor's advice on any of us.).  So in all honesty, because of how my family members behave.....  use of Dr. outside of work environment seems unnecessary.

[petitepedal ★]

I am pretty happy with the title "Queen" 

[Square Wheels]

I call them by their first name unless there are patients present, then I use their title.

[Ralphie ★]

I would be a Spin Doctor.

[sheep_herder ★]

?I like the ones that use Dr. on their return mail labels. My buddy that does all my bobcat work, loves to call me 'Dr. deep pockets'.?It is really better when some people don't know your situation. 

[Tizeye]

12 hours ago, petitepedal said:

I am pretty happy with the title "Queen" 

With so many "Queens" it didn't end well as they lost their head over it.

[Razors Edge ★]

16 hours ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

What do you recommend for calling your mechanic?

are you going to call your attorney “dr”?, since they do have a doctorate.

I call my mechanic "Kenny".

And, why don't you call an attorney "Doctor"? Probably the same reason, in 2018, we don't call 99+% of the workforce anything but their first and/or last names or generic titles. 

An interesting challenge in the medical field is patient-doctor relationships and "bedside manner".  I wonder if people would be best served by physicians if they actually had better relationships, and not ones of disproportionate perceived power or status. 

[Square Wheels]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

I call my mechanic "Kenny".

And, why don't you call an attorney "Doctor"? Probably the same reason, in 2018, we don't call 99+% of the workforce anything but their first and/or last names or generic titles. 

An interesting challenge in the medical field is patient-doctor relationships and "bedside manner".  I wonder if people would be best served by physicians if they actually had better relationships, and not ones of disproportionate perceived power or status. 

Keep in mind, these people are fixing your aortic valve,  not your intake valve. I think they should be treated a little differently. 

[Razors Edge ★]

5 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Keep in mind, these people are fixing your aortic valve,  not your intake valve. I think they should be treated a little differently. 

Are you serious? I treat them a "little differently" by paying them a wee bit more than my mechanic.

[Square Wheels]

2 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

Are you serious? I treat them a "little differently" by paying them a wee bit more than my mechanic.

I am.  And I suspect you pay your doctor close to nothing. Also your doctor went to at least 8 additional years of school and possibly a  dozen or more years of residency. 

[Razors Edge ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

I am.  And I suspect you pay your doctor close to nothing. Also your doctor went to at least 8 additional years of school and possibly a  dozen or more years of residency. 

So time in school is what you value. Interesting.

[Square Wheels]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

So time in school is what you value. Interesting.

Nope, years of dedication and training. 

[Razors Edge ★]

24 minutes ago, Square Wheels said:

Nope, years of dedication and training. 

I hear ya! Auto mechanics are a bunch of bums!  Same with farmers

 

[Prophet Zacharia]

2 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

 

An interesting challenge in the medical field is patient-doctor relationships and "bedside manner".  I wonder if people would be best served by physicians if they actually had better relationships, and not ones of disproportionate perceived power or status. 

I think bedside manner is impacted more by insurance mandates and time pressures put on physicians today more than any influence that using the title “doctor” creates. You’re veering into EPG’s lane a little here, where you see power and status differences, others see responsibilities and duties. My doctor does have more responsibilities to me than my auto mechanic, from confidentiality to education.

[Razors Edge ★]

22 minutes ago, Prophet Zacharia said:

I think bedside manner is impacted more by insurance mandates and time pressures put on physicians today more than any influence that using the title “doctor” creates. You’re veering into EPG’s lane a little here, where you see power and status differences, others see responsibilities and duties. My doctor does have more responsibilities to me than my auto mechanic, from confidentiality to education.

In that case, perhaps you are not affording your doctor the level of respect s/he deserves!  Geez, how much less effort can a person put in than a couple extra syllables every so often?

[Page Turner]

20 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

What professional hasn't "earned" it?  Heck, what about non-professionals but hard workers?  I don't have a good honorific for my auto mechanic, but he is damn good at his job.

 

[Page Turner]

4 hours ago, Razors Edge said:

An interesting challenge in the medical field is patient-doctor relationships and "bedside manner".  I wonder if people would be best served by physicians if they actually had better relationships, and not ones of disproportionate perceived power or status. 

...I actually have some real world experience with having physician friends, from back when my other job besides driving a cab in D.C. was running the swimming pool at the Washington Hospital Center school of nursing in the summers.  These guys were all about my age, because residents, and I had a couple of down years in the Navy before I went back to college.

I never called any of them "doctor".   I did occasionally say, "Oh nurse !!" when one of the cute ones came in.

 

[Parr8hed]

23 hours ago, No One said:

...when I was a corpsman in the Navy, people always called me "Doc", even though I wasn't one.  So been there, done that.

same.

[Parr8hed]

I have my friends call me Nurse Travis.  

[Prophet Zacharia]

42 minutes ago, Parr8hed said:

I have my friends call me Nurse Travis.  

Instead they call you Murse Parr8.

[Page Turner]

 

[Prophet Zacharia]

57 minutes ago, Parr8hed said:

I have my friends call me Nurse Travis.  

And then you take their order? 

[Airehead]

In some professional settings I do use the DR. It is often during litigation or mediation. Don’t expect it from my staff nor desire it. I do expect it from my college students in my adjunct gig. I am not their friend or colleague. The curtesy title helps keep that line clear. 

[sheep_herder ★]

Wondered when you would chime into the discussion?

[Airehead]

18 hours ago, sheep_herder said:

?I like the ones that use Dr. on their return mail labels. My buddy that does all my bobcat work, loves to call me 'Dr. deep pockets'.?It is really better when some people don't know your situation. 

Return address and email signatures crack me up. 

14 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

Wondered when you would chime into the discussion?

Sorry I have been baking and trying to pick paint for the new house.  Sorry to have kept you waiting Dr.  Herder. 

[groupw]

I have a running friend I knew as Becky. Turns out she is an MD. When WoW took her current job, it was in the same building as Becky. WoW’s job is connected to scheduling multiple medical offices. She ran into Becky in the hall and said “Hi Becky”!  Jaws dropped song her subservients. WoW quickly realized her faux pas and said “Sorry. Dr xxxxx “ They were in the elevator together later and WoW apologized. Becky told her not to worry. She told the coworkers they were friends outside the office  

i have a dentist office I service. The dentists expect to be called Dr so and so. Another dentist office I service, one of the Drs in his office said the Drs there are Brad, Brian and Amber. They are proud to be doctors, but came from very humble origins. They don’t believe in putting themselves above anyone. 

My best friend in high school has a PHD in microbiology. He prefers to be called Jeff. He said if you use your title, they atick you in an office.  He would rather work for a living.  

 

[shootingstar]

It occurred to me, haven't  a clue what my brother-in-law is called by his students at  university (of Toronto).  I suspect if an honorific is used, it's Professor xxxx.  Not Dr. xxxx  I would be very surprised he would be called by his first name in the lecture hall ..I suspect he might want those instructor -student relationship lines drawn.  But what do I know in the 21st century. He teaches undergraduate engineering  (several classes, several different year levels throughout his career) and supervising master's levels students.  

His son, my nephew has a PhD who is married to the pedatrician.  He seems so young  ...since I knew him as a baby.  So...we have 4 "Dr's" in our  family.  When time rolls along, one forgets... 

 

[MickinMD ★]

On 11/20/2018 at 3:05 PM, Longjohn said:

If I was a medical doctor it would be ok. Anything else is just pretentious.

It only seems that way because we mostly associate the word "doctor" - meaning the highest point of education - with a medical professional.

We should probably call them "medicians." not "doctors."

A doctor can be anyone with a Ph.D., a dentist, a veterinarian, etc.

Note that in England they don't call veteranarians "doctors," - at least in the 1930's and 1940's. I learned that from the BBC series, "All Creatures Great and Small."

They do call medicians "doctors." I learned that from the BBC series, "Doc Martin."

Washington D.C. Public Broadcasting has a "UK" channel which has a lot of great British TV series.

[Prophet Zacharia]

15 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

They do call medicians "doctors." I learned that from the BBC series, "Doc Martin."

 

Which is a boot.

I’ve been watching a lot of crime drama series on Netflix, of Icelandic and Scandinavia origins. “Case” was our most recent. If you don’t mind subtitles, it’s a good genre. 

[Longjohn ★]

11 hours ago, Airehead said:

 

In some professional settings I do use the DR. It is often during litigation or mediation. Don’t exp

 

Doctor Airhead does have a certain ring to it.

[Longjohn ★]

One of my triathlete friends is an English professor. Her students all call her Dr. Dorfeld, everyone else calls her Natalie. That sounds reasonable to me. My father in law had a doctor of theology degree but didn’t want to be called doctor. He preferred to be called Reverend.