When is a Doctor seen to be an actual Doctor, as against a trainee or a junior?

j.mcdrmd

?

polydactyl

By the media and non hospital attending public only when you are a consultant. By your family friends and those in hospital the day after you start work

ThatDrGuy

polydactyl wrote: »

By the media and non hospital attending public only when you are a consultant. By your family friends and those in hospital the day after you start work

So long as you're male....

huskerdu

On a related note, I notice that the OP used the term " actual Doctor, as opposed to a trainee or junior doctor". There is a lot of confusion and not a lot of hard information about the term junior doctor in Ireland, which is usually an incorrect term to use.

I am not familiar with the details of medical career grades in Ireland. I know there are many non-consultant hospital doctors, (NCHD), who have a medical degree and many years of post-grad training and experience and who are "actual doctors" but are described, sometimes dismissively by people as "junior Doctors".


I would be very interested in seeing a table or description of the medical grades and the progression from Medical degree.

Does this exist anywhere, or can someone here explain it.

Ihaveanopinion

Once you have received your medical degree, you are entitled to call yourself a doctor. The degree is a professional qualification, so once you pass your exams, you are an 'actual' doctor. (Similarly, once you have your dental degree, you can call yourself a dentist.)

Everything else is related to training. The terms junior doctor and non-consultant hospital doctor (NCHD) are used inter-changeably. A intern, a senior house officer, a registrar, a specialist registrar, a senior registrar or a fellow are all training positions, but all are doctors.

Those who have completed their post-graduate training are, generally in Ireland, Consultants or General Practioners (GP). Still doctors.

echo beach

Ihaveanopinion wrote: »

Once you have received your medical degree, you are entitled to call yourself a doctor.

Anybody can call themselves a doctor and many people with no medical training hold doctorates in various subjects. Only those registered with the medical council can practice medicine in Ireland and that would be my understanding of an 'actual' doctor.
Medicine is a hierarchical profession so most doctors are junior to somebody and as a patient I would hope every doctor is training and getting more proficient all the time.

locum-motion

Ihaveanopinion wrote: »

Once you have received your medical degree, you are entitled to call yourself a doctor...

To be reeeeeallly pedantic about it, no one should "call themselves" a doctor.

"Doctor" is an honourific, a form of address, analogous to "Mister".

I think what you really meant to say was: "once you have been registered with the IMC, you are entitled to call yourself a medical practitioner."

Even after getting the degree/IMC registration, you shouldn't really say "Hi, my name is Dr. John Doe" because the honourific doesn't actually become part of your name. However, another person might address you as "Dr. Doe".

take everything

locum-motion wrote: »

Even after getting the degree/IMC registration, you shouldn't really say "Hi, my name is Dr. John Doe"

You should if you want to get something done at work. :pac::p

Anyway, the old chestnut:
Q. What do you call the guy who graduates last in Medical School?
A. Doctor.

locum-motion

That's my point!

take everything wrote: »

...
Q. What do you call the guy who graduates last in Medical School?
A. Doctor.

It's what you call him, it's not (or at least, shouldn't be) what he calls himself.

Ihaveanopinion

locum-motion wrote: »

To be reeeeeallly pedantic about it, no one should "call themselves" a doctor.

"Doctor" is an honourific, a form of address, analogous to "Mister".

I think what you really meant to say was: "once you have been registered with the IMC, you are entitled to call yourself a medical practitioner."

Even after getting the degree/IMC registration, you shouldn't really say "Hi, my name is Dr. John Doe" because the honourific doesn't actually become part of your name. However, another person might address you as "Dr. Doe".

Yea ok, if you want to be pedantic. The term doctor is used by doctors, dentists, those with doctoral theses, dr Phil... So you are correct

There is no legal basis for using the descriptor doctor. Anyone can tack it on

BUT in the sense of the OPs question, I am sticking to my answer