Why are we "doctors"? - (Jun/06/2014 )

Does anyone know why are PhD holders called "doctors"? Is it because it is someone who has a doctorate? 

And do people call you Dr. *insert name* in the public (e.g. filling in official documents/non-scientific peers etc)?

 

People tend to think why are we even qualified to be called a "doctor" (probably a stereotype issue because doctor = medical doctor)

PhD is abbreviation of Doctor of Philosophy, same as medical doctors are Doctors of Medicine.

This Wikipedia article nicely summs up the differences between professional and research/other doctorates.

 

And yes, in professional life people call me "doctor" and I'm using it filling official documents.

 

The usage of academic titles outside professional life obviously differs between countries, in many of them name is usually stated without any titles.

But my country, for example is kind of obsessed with titles, so often they are written anywhere possible. Due to the previously low percentage of people with university degrees, it was like a sign of being "better" then other or something. Still many professionals will treat you differently if you have/haven't got an academic title, this is sadly still true. (and yes, often mostly medical doctors)

Our state identity card have a separate space for titles on the back side, I think that is not a very common thing to have.

 

The problem with PhD in your country is, that this is a new title, adopted only decade ago to fit in with international standards, so many people don't know what it means and states (it's used at the end of the name, unlike all the other titles, medical, masters, bachelors (this one is actually also a very new, previously unused title and some people quite dispraise it, for being "low"). So often people ask, what it stand for and you then have to explain "no it doesn't  mean I have a doctorate in philosophy.." and often they don't mean what it means in higher education. And of course, some older medical doctors often say it's not "the right kind of doctor anyway", the younger ones often have PhDs themselves ;)

 

So, yes you have a right to call yourself doctor, but the society sometimes doesn't really see it accordingly.

 

And after all, there is only one true Doctor ;)

In my country that is for sure not the case: you dont use Dr. in front of your name in "public" if you are not an MD.

A medical doctor will Always use the Dr. (and people often call them Dr. X) , but a scientist... nop, you dont use that Dr.

The only moment you would use it is simply when emailing (work related) , than many of them put it in their email signature...

 

Official documents: for sure the same rule! You only use Dr. if you are a medical doctor.

Here (Germany) you're only called doctor if it's very official and/or the dude either a conservative and traditional person who likes such stuff, or a student (often international students) who thinks it's necessary for whatever reason until you tell him/her to avoid this....

We also have this space in our identity cards and many companies offer this too, but I use it only when I've to do with medical stuff and MDs might be involved, as they might treat you better then, as they see that you're not a naive, stupid anybody (not sure if it really helps)...  .

In my environment, except my family, close acquaintances and friends usually nobody knows it (and except the medical staff I've to visit when I'm ill), as it might come to such questions if I'm a MD and can help them and similar stuff. Don't like this.

and well this is also a Dr (Dr. John):

Do you really think this?

I wonder: you mention you are a Dr. , dont they ask whether you are an MD or a different type of Dr?

 

 

hobglobin on Fri Jun 6 18:21:36 2014 said:

Here (Germany) you're only called doctor if it's very official and/or the dude either a conservative and traditional person who likes such stuff, or a student (often international students) who thinks it's necessary for whatever reason until you tell him/her to avoid this....

We also have this space in our identity cards and many companies offer this too, but I use it only when I've to do with medical stuff and MDs might be involved, as they might treat you better then, as they see that you're not a naive, stupid anybody (not sure if it really helps)...  .

In my environment, except my family, close acquaintances and friends usually nobody knows it (and the medical staff I've to visit when I'm ill), as it might come to such questions if I'm a MD and can help them and similar stuff. Don't like this.

and well this is also a Dr (Dr. John):

 

Well it was recommended to me by several people I know (especially when I was in a hospital), to have this possible advantage (as the MDs here are quite hierarchical thinking and might treat other doctors as coequal and not a unaware layman to whom they can try out what they want and explain nothing...anyway sure they ask if I'm a MD or something else and when I tell them no, I'm a biologist they usually explain to me the technical and biological backgrounds and don't try to talk me into expensive therapies I've to pay on my own...that's nice too . But well I cannot say they treat me better or whatever and this is good as all should be treated the same...

 

pito on Fri Jun 6 18:35:01 2014 said:

Do you really think this?

I wonder: you mention you are a Dr. , dont they ask whether you are an MD or a different type of Dr?

 

 

hobglobin on Fri Jun 6 18:21:36 2014 said:

Here (Germany) you're only called doctor if it's very official and/or the dude either a conservative and traditional person who likes such stuff, or a student (often international students) who thinks it's necessary for whatever reason until you tell him/her to avoid this....

We also have this space in our identity cards and many companies offer this too, but I use it only when I've to do with medical stuff and MDs might be involved, as they might treat you better then, as they see that you're not a naive, stupid anybody (not sure if it really helps)...  .

In my environment, except my family, close acquaintances and friends usually nobody knows it (and the medical staff I've to visit when I'm ill), as it might come to such questions if I'm a MD and can help them and similar stuff. Don't like this.

and well this is also a Dr (Dr. John):

 

 

It seems weird..

Altough: I can agree, many MDs have this "idea" that they are "better" than others.

I would, however, think that if you mention you are a Dr. and then mention you ar not an MD that they might think "bad" about you mentioning you are PhD... Seems they would even react more against it than when not mentioning it all.

 

 

hobglobin on Fri Jun 6 19:58:26 2014 said:

 

Well it was recommended to me by several people I know (especially when I was in a hospital), to have this possible advantage (as the MDs here are quite hierarchical thinking and might treat other doctors as coequal and not a unaware layman to whom they can try out what they want and explain nothing...anyway sure they ask if I'm a MD or something else and when I tell them no, I'm a biologist they usually explain to me the technical and biological backgrounds and don't try to talk me into expensive therapies I've to pay on my own...that's nice too . But well I cannot say they treat me better or whatever and this is good as all should be treated the same...

 

pito on Fri Jun 6 18:35:01 2014 said:

Do you really think this?

I wonder: you mention you are a Dr. , dont they ask whether you are an MD or a different type of Dr?

 

 

hobglobin on Fri Jun 6 18:21:36 2014 said:

Here (Germany) you're only called doctor if it's very official and/or the dude either a conservative and traditional person who likes such stuff, or a student (often international students) who thinks it's necessary for whatever reason until you tell him/her to avoid this....

We also have this space in our identity cards and many companies offer this too, but I use it only when I've to do with medical stuff and MDs might be involved, as they might treat you better then, as they see that you're not a naive, stupid anybody (not sure if it really helps)...  .

In my environment, except my family, close acquaintances and friends usually nobody knows it (and the medical staff I've to visit when I'm ill), as it might come to such questions if I'm a MD and can help them and similar stuff. Don't like this.

and well this is also a Dr (Dr. John):

 

 

 

 

Here in NZ people would be introduced as Dr if they hold either PhD or medical degree (the title of the medical degree here is MbCHb or something like Medicinae bachelorae Chirugeonae bachelorae which translates to bachelor of medicine and surgery from latin, so nothing about Dr in the degree title).  Most people would probably use Name followed by PhD if they were not a medical dr, but it would depend on the person and context - they may use the title in a professional context, but not the rest of the time.

 

I agree with Trof regarding the one true Dr, but this one is pretty cool too:http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dr+teeth

bob1 on Sat Jun 7 09:36:18 2014 said:

Here in NZ people would be introduced as Dr if they hold either PhD or medical degree (the title of the medical degree here is MbCHb or something like Medicinae bachelorae Chirugeonae bachelorae which translates to bachelor of medicine and surgery from latin, so nothing about Dr in the degree title).  Most people would probably use Name followed by PhD if they were not a medical dr, but it would depend on the person and context - they may use the title in a professional context, but not the rest of the time.

 

I agree with Trof regarding the one true Dr, but this one is pretty cool too:http://lmgtfy.com/?q=dr+teeth

seems really weird to me to be honest to use that title.

I really don't see the point using it unless in a scientific context and even than...

Well I don't mention this actively, but it's registered ony my insurance card (similar to the identity card, but there I still don't have it  )...

 

What just came to my mind is that many "doctors" don't have this title anymore as it's not necessary (except maybe for elder people who want a real doctor helping them), but they're all called colloquial "doctor" but are actually medics or physicians, and the doctor thesis would be a tiny add-on that costs some time, but says nothing about their skills (here the MD can be done in half a year and is quite often not really scientific work and therefore not comparable with a PhD). This is true especially for practice-based physicians who don't work in a hospital and/or science.

 

pito on Fri Jun 6 21:06:05 2014 said:

It seems weird..

Altough: I can agree, many MDs have this "idea" that they are "better" than others.

I would, however, think that if you mention you are a Dr. and then mention you ar not an MD that they might think "bad" about you mentioning you are PhD... Seems they would even react more against it than when not mentioning it all.

 

 

hobglobin on Fri Jun 6 19:58:26 2014 said:

 

Well it was recommended to me by several people I know (especially when I was in a hospital), to have this possible advantage (as the MDs here are quite hierarchical thinking and might treat other doctors as coequal and not a unaware layman to whom they can try out what they want and explain nothing...anyway sure they ask if I'm a MD or something else and when I tell them no, I'm a biologist they usually explain to me the technical and biological backgrounds and don't try to talk me into expensive therapies I've to pay on my own...that's nice too . But well I cannot say they treat me better or whatever and this is good as all should be treated the same...