Call your GP by their first name?

MrCostington

As per the title, do you call your GP John, or Doctor Smith?

Personally would prefer firstname as saying the latter seems to imply they are better than me, but I just play it safe and say a simple "thanks" on leaving?

harmless

I call them whatever the receptions calls them, it's usually a good sign as to how they would like to be addressed.

The current surgery I go to 1 doctor is know by her first name and the others are called their surname. Although if they call you by your first name then it's probably fine to do likewise.

Thespoofer

I call them by their title as a sign of respect. The odd time , if we're in the surgery and speaking in private, I might refer to him by first name.

When leaving, its again an official, Thanks very much Dr. Xxxxx. , especially in earshot of others.

Just as a sign of respect.

mickdw

In my experience, those with little up top always appear to be on first name terms with their Doctor.

I would only call my doctor by first name if I knew them personally outside of being a Doctor.

AMKC

No I just say hello Doctor as I doubt I could premounce his name and do not know it yet anyway as he is a new Doctor anyway and I try not to go unless I really need to.

I call them Doctor.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571463#Comment_121571463

Sounds like you have a inferiority complex. May want to see a doctor about that.

lucalux

i call them Dr [First Name]

Dr Mary or Dr John for example

not going to call my main doc their double barrelled mouthful of a name, for the sake of effort it takes

my semi-regular locum, who i see more than my actual registered dr, is a lot younger and introduces herself as her first name. I stick the Dr in there as she's lovely and i do respect her role/title

Pauliedragon

My doctors name is Philip so doctor Phil it is. He never seems to like that I can't understand why 🤔

Donald Trump

I usually call mine "sugartits"

To be fair, he really needs to lose a bit of weight

Photobox

First name, everyone calls him by his first name.

TinyMuffin

Don’t know as it’s impossible to see him when I need too. Last time I rang to make an appointment it was in 10 days so I said feck it.

MrCostington

OP here, thanks for the replies.

Thinking about it, I'm 80-90% sure both of them in the surgery introduced themselves when I first met them (they took over a surgery from a retired doctor a few years ago) by their first names, can I take that as green light to say John?

Purple Mountain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571836#Comment_121571836

Just urge on side of caution and say " what's up, Doc?"

elperello

My doctor calls me by my first name so I reciprocate.

Cluedo Monopoly

First name always. I know her fairly well.

I am not into titles much. I would never call a priest Father for example. We got into enough trouble putting people on pedestals.

tikka16751

First names, lob it up on the desk.

I walk in gnawing on a carrot and say "what's up doc?"

My GP calls me by my first name, I call him by my first name. He introduced himself by his first name. However his admin staff always refer to him & the other doctors as Dr. Smith, Dr Murphy etc and I do when speaking to them.

My own experience is that back in the day you barely found out a doctor’s first name, now it’s tricky to get their surname. I’ll give an example, in about 2017 I had emergency surgery carried out by a senior registrar surgeon. I developed a post-op infection and my GP phoned SVUH to talk to the surgeon. He asked me what her first name was, and I could only answer Marta, I didn’t know her surname. He got talking to her and found out her full name, but I had not heard her surname before that.

Likewise I had a surgical complication in the autumn and had to return to hospital and was asked who had performed the surgery and I only could give her first name as that’s as far as I knew. Most doctors up to Senior Registrar introduce themselves by first name only in my experience these times, and indeed most younger consultants make it known they like to be called by first name, although you do generally get to know their second name in the first place 😁

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571869#Comment_121571869

What if he was your actual father?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571928#Comment_121571928

I'd go with Daddy

Deep Thought

Call mine Dr Sean or Dr Ger..

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571937#Comment_121571937

Sure you might as well go with that for all the priests. Or even "Daddy-o" .

j2

Haven't been to the doctor in over a decade. I'm big, fit, strong as sh1t. I can lift 315 x 5 on the bench 225 overhead. I'd think nothing of going out for a 4, 5, 6 hour cycle in the countryside, going at it hammer and thongs the whole way, zipping up hills and everything. I can sit in a kayak and just go all day. I'm nearly 6'8, but a very coordinated and fast type at that height, not a lumbering giant or a beanpole. My physique is incredible, broad shoulders, barndoor back, pectorals like 2 upturned soup bowls and a rippling 6 pack. I wouldn't even know what to do with a doctor, and I'm also smarter than a doctor too.

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572060#Comment_121572060

Grams or kilograms?

Nigel Fairservice

I call GP by his first name. He has been my doctor for about 30 years.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572060#Comment_121572060

Did ye know tall men in particular are particularly prone to colon cancer? Simply because lots more of those cells to go awol. 😁 Yiz is not bullet proof.

https://carrolldigestivediseasecenter.com/news/taller-people-may-be-at-increased-risk-of-colon-cancer

Sorry to sink your Tall Ship with billowing sails and with a fine big spinnaker to boot. 😁

igCorcaigh

First name always, but we have a good and longstanding relationship. He's an excellent doc.

Greyfox

Haven't been to a GP in 15 years, don't know whether or not my last one is still alive

Oink

I know what it cost my friends to become doctors, and I call any GP “Doctor” because they’ve earned it.

cj maxx

Any GP I went to it was Dr …. . But the neurologists introduced themselves with their first names .

banie01

My GP and I have a 25yr relationship and are very much on 1st name terms. The joy of being a frequent flyer I suppose 😉

The tribe of CNS and specialists I see are all in the habit these days of introducing themselves on a 1st name basis.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572154#Comment_121572154

I call my neurologist Tubbsy 🤣

NSAman

Of course I call my doctor by his first name. I also have his mobile number (personal) he fields calls all hours from his patients….but then again this isn’t in Ireland 😀

cj maxx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572178#Comment_121572178

I had Chris , then Aoife then Jamie and now that I’ve moved to a new area I’ve never met my ‘ current ‘ neuro

Hippodrome Song Owl

I call him by his title. I feel it's most appropriate as I am there to avail of his professional expertise.

I wouldn't be calling him or other doctors Doctor if I was dealing with them outside that professional relationship as there's no need to put people on a pedestal. But if I'm there to be treated by a doctor I'm happy to use the title.

The secretary refers to him by first name though so I actually don't think he would care either way.

whydoibother

Dr Smith, I’d call the GP if he was not a close friend, but my pets vet I call Paul and really he’s got as much education as the Dr. - even probably more I’d say.

Fred Cryton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058329584/call-your-gp-by-their-first-name

It's very likely that the doctor is indeed better than someone who displays petty emotion such as status anxiety.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572089#Comment_121572089

So basically, the bigger the arsehole the more prone to cancer.

Sounds fair.

For me, I'll ask to see Dr x when making the appointment, but one on one if they use my first name I'll reciprocate, it's nice to be personable.

Would people be impressed if their GP constantly referred to them as Mr/Mrs surname? Inherent deference is and should be a thing of the past.

Furze99

First name but seeing same for 20+ years.

ruth...less

No joke I actually had this conversation with myself the other day. Calling him Dr whatever just sounds I don't know kinky? But calling him by his first name sounds too familiar. I decided to go with nothing.

One of the previous GPs in the practice I attend was as informal as they come. Always wore his cycling shorts in practice, winter or summer. There was a double barrelled named consultant I had attended, and he was reading his report out to me. I was in stitches when he started off “Dr double-barrel @rsehole says here…” I hadn’t liked that consultant’s cold manner & scary but unhelpful potential unconfirmed diagnosis, but to give the man his due generations of his family had the double surname 🤣

endacl

I split the difference. Dr John. Good piano player!

pgj2015

I call him Dr Dre.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572568#Comment_121572568

He treats chronic illness 😁

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572488#Comment_121572488

If suffering with schizophrenia going with nothing is best for all involved 😁

Montage of Feck

They're not real doctors anyway.

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572568#Comment_121572568

I want to find a hot lady doc with that name. And with long fingers.

pgj2015

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121572599#Comment_121572599

And people with ringing in their heads.

Cluedo Monopoly

Can you call Google doctor?

SupaCat95

Its not much of an achievement being smarter than your doctor in my experience. You know what "Study Medicine Europe" is? You get yourself a home study pack over three years and you are a qualified GP, hey presto.

Mind you when you are done you wont be able to tell the difference between an x-ray of an ankle and an elbow. Other graduates at senior house officer level have not done a female pelvic examination. What not even an amature interest?

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121571892#Comment_121571892

My GP calls me by my first name, I call him by my first name.

That's a handy tip for not having to remember other people's names. Just call them all by your own name and be done with it.