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using your PhD title

CosmoCramer

I gather there are quite a few PhD graduates on boards. I wanted to ask what do people think about using the title 'Dr' before their name outside the professional sphere. To put this question in context, I'm NOT a Phd grad, but know lots of people who are.

Some of these people use the 'Dr;' title outside of the professional sphere, in social contexts, and for general purposes. Is this socially acceptable? For example, using the Dr title in mail correspondence, on bank/credit cards, etc.

What do you guys think? My own personal viewpoint is that such usage should be confined to professional purposes, and not beyond that!

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[Deleted User]

dlouth15 wrote: »

Well they do have a doctorate, though most medical practitioners in Ireland don't have MDs.

I always thought MD's technically should not use the term doctor.

ghogie91

doctor
ˈdɒktə/
noun
noun: doctor; plural noun: doctors; noun: Doctor; plural noun: Doctors

a person who holds the highest university degree.
"he was made a Doctor of Divinity"

After all the hard work I would call myself doctor too

Talib Fiasco

I don't have a degree but I always had a PHD, a pretty huge dick.

Archeron

if you cant talk to the animals, sing with the animals, converse with the animals...... then you're not a doctor.

Irishmale0399

Have one.....never use it in Ireland. (Must say my granny loves telling people i am a Dr. (not med.), so much so that i have been asked for medical advise a few times when i am home on visits.)

On the other hand...here in Germany all work mates, employees, neighbours i dont like or customers call me Dr., is part of their culture. The Germans have the Dr. or Prof. titles officially registered so that it becomes offically part of their names. Is then in passports, driving licences...etc. resulting in the legal obligation for the Dr./Prof. to used when your name is used.

Personally could live without it....hate it in fact.

dlouth15

jh79 wrote: »

I always thought MD's technically should not use the term doctor.

Most Irish practitioners don't have MDs unless they qualified in the US or certain other countries. To confuse matters further there's a qualification called an MD awarded in Ireland but this is a research degree and higher academically to the MD awarded in the States.

Academically, most Irish doctors aren't doctors but their training is equivalent to MDs in the US and elsewhere. I would always call them doctor.

ewinslet

If you've gone through the misery of 4 or 5 years of a PhD, then you should definitely use the title. People will think you're a twat but feck them. I know I'll be using mine.

Saipanne

Everly Warm Whimper wrote: »

I only use mine on official reports and the likes. A couple of friends call me Dr for a laugh and it confused the postman once when one sent a card to Dr Everly Warm Whimper.

I can't stand people who sign themselves BA, FRCS, MPSI, MA (hons) Eng, etc on day to day emails or letters.

After I finished my studies, I went to the careers service* with my cv for advice. I had all those titles next to my name on my cv, and the first thing your one recommended was to rip those letters right out.

*To any students reading who are about to graduate, I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Aongus Von Bismarck

I include my academic achievements (I've a Degree in Business Studies and German from TCD. An MBA from The Warwick School of Business. And a diploma (the German equivalent) in Business Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) at the bottom of my letters under my signature block.

I don't see it as pretentious. Generally the only people who complain about these things are those who have achieved little academically themselves.

Micky Dolenz

You should insist on being called Doctor. It annoys the people who are less smarter.

Saipanne

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I include my academic achievements (I've a Degree in Business Studies and German from TCD. An MBA from The Warwick School of Business. And a diploma (the German equivalent) in Business Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) at the bottom of my letters under my signature block.

I don't see it as pretentious. Generally the only people who complain about these things are those who have achieved little academically themselves.

I have a degree and masters degree in economics. I finished top of the class in the latter. I think it is a little bit pretentious putting the letters there.

steddyeddy

CosmoCramer wrote: »

Even though they are not real docs?

A doctor isn't a job title it's a qualification. A medical doctor is a clinician.

Sauve

Notions

RDM_83 again

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I include my academic achievements (I've a Degree in Business Studies and German from TCD. An MBA from The Warwick School of Business. And a diploma (the German equivalent) in Business Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) at the bottom of my letters under my signature block.

I don't see it as pretentious. Generally the only people who complain about these things are those who have achieved little academically themselves.

Not at all, I'm not massively academically qualified myself (Masters which these days seems to equivalent to leaving cert :mad: ) but 2 of my immediate family are PhD's and probably 50% of my friends are its definitely not the done thing apart from maybe with banks and so on.

Reality_Check1

jh79 wrote: »

Big mistake , same for flights etc , someone gets sick and your fecked.

CosmoCramer wrote: »

Yes, I definitely think only real doctors should be allowed to use the title.

Best advice we ever got - if someone asks if there is a doctor on the plane keep your ****ing hand down.

Academics with PHD's who do some work in the hospital dont use their Dr. title as far as I'm aware. Not that I have any problem with it they just dont want to be cornered if the **** hits the fan with a crashing patient

Tarzana2

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

An MBA from The Warwick School of Business. And a diploma (the German equivalent) in Business Mathematics from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) at the bottom of my letters under my signature block.

PhDs laugh at such inferior qualifications.

:pac:

Aongus Von Bismarck

Tarzana2 wrote: »

PhDs laugh at such inferior qualifications.

:pac:

I can assure you that they haven't much to be laughing about. MBA graduates of Warwick university are some of the most highly remunerated individuals around. AvB is no exception.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Tarzana2

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I can assure you that they haven't much to be laughing about. MBA graduates of Warwick university are some of the most highly remunerated individuals around. AvB is no exception.

A PhD is still a higher qualification than an MBA.

heldel00

Everly Warm Whimper wrote: »

I only use mine on official reports and the likes. A couple of friends call me Dr for a laugh and it confused the postman once when one sent a card to Dr Everly Warm Whimper.

I can't stand people who sign themselves BA, FRCS, MPSI, MA (hons) Eng, etc on day to day emails or letters.

I know someone who signs his son's spelling test with all his letters in tow!

stateofflux

Tarzana2 wrote: »

A PhD is still a higher qualification than an MBA.

...gonna be certificates at dawn at this rate

Micky Dolenz

stateofflux wrote: »

...gonna be certificates at dawn at this rate

Battle of the Super Nerds. I for one, am a little turned on by it.

Dr Turk Turkelton

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

I can assure you that they haven't much to be laughing about. MBA graduates of Warwick university are some of the most highly remunerated individuals around. AvB is no exception.

But you couldn't get into Cornell with the Nard-dog?

creolebelle

It's incredibly pretentious to use it outside of academia/professional settings if it isn't a MD
My mother has several degrees and she would always sign my school forms with M.S and my teachers would always ask me about it. She still uses it whenever she signs her name. It's absolutely cringeworthy, for me anyway. I still love the woman.

AdFundum

CosmoCramer wrote: »

Yes, I definitely think only real doctors should be allowed to use the title.

But people with PhDs are real doctors. Medics, clinicians, etc. are not necessarily Drs in the academic sense, i. e., in the traditional sense. In Germany, only those with a doctorate can call themselves Dr. A German physician with the equivalent of a Bachelor of Medicine is Herr Arzt, only if he/she has a doctorate is he/she called Dr.

Anyway, Dr. just means teacher or something like that so I don't get the fuss. I have my viva in February and I absolutely hate my PhD (pretty normal!) so I reckon it will be about a decade before I could use Dr. or PhD without getting a panic attack. You really earn a PhD - it's a tough slog, so Yep, by all means use the title you sweated, fretted and bawled over if you so wish.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I think it's quite pretentious in a lot of cases. I work in an office and I regularly get correspkndence from a serial complainer, the man is a complete paranoid knob end, he always signs his letters Dr .... and when he rings he introduces himself as Dr.... I refuse to call him Dr and refer to him by his first name in all letters and when speaking on the phone and I know it really annoys him. I once asked him what practice or hospital he worked in and he replied that he wasn't that type of Doctor so I asked what type if other doctors are they and he refused to answer saying that his title was not up for discussion. Wanker.

Aongus Von Bismarck

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I think it's quite pretentious in a lot of cases. I work in an office and I regularly get correspkndence from a serial complainer, the man is a complete paranoid knob end, he always signs his letters Dr .... and when he rings he introduces himself as Dr.... I refuse to call him Dr and refer to him by his first name in all letters and when speaking on the phone and I know it really annoys him. I once asked him what practice or hospital he worked in and he replied that he wasn't that type of Doctor so I asked what type if other doctors are they and he refused to answer saying that his title was not up for discussion. Wanker.

You sound like the bitter one to be honest.

Tarzana2

stateofflux wrote: »

...gonna be certificates at dawn at this rate

Nah, I just have a plebby Bachelors. :pac:

Irishmale0399

AdFundum wrote: »

In Germany, only those with a doctorate can call themselves Dr. A German physician with the equivalent of a Bachelor of Medicine is Herr Arzt, only if he/she has a doctorate is he/she called Dr.

Do you really think a medical doctorate in Germany is equal to a doctorate in another subject???
German medical practioners normally get the Dr. title after 3-4months research and a thesis of about 30-40 pages.

dlouth15

Irishmale0399 wrote: »

Do you really think a medical doctorate in Germany is equal to a doctorate in another subject???
German medical practioners normally get the Dr. title after 3-4months research and a thesis of about 30-40 pages.

I would say in fairness it is probably justified as in some countries the basic medicine qualification is a professional doctorate.