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Old 04-01-2014, 10:44 AM   #41
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Hmmm - have a prof and a doc in the family tree - one discourages the 'Dr' among family and friends and the other is nicknamed 'professor John'.

My best was the Louisiana area where I once lived - 'where ya at Captain Mr Tony' to people who were neither Captains nor fishermen.

heh heh heh -
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Old 04-01-2014, 10:48 AM   #42
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Titles are a funny thing. If someone wants me to call them Dr. I do. I have a lot of PhD friends and family - and they're all down to earth about it. My step mom is a Dr. Nurse. (PhD in nursing, taught nursing until this past fall.)

MD doctors may feel they have the only "right" to the title Dr. But earning a "Doctor"ate - earns PhD's the right to the title.

I've tried to stay old school with my kids - have them refer to adults as Mr/Mrs/Dr. as appropriate. So many of their friends' parents are Dr. SoAndSo (phd chemists, biologists, etc.). (I don't think kids should be on first name basis with elders unless invited to be.)

My husband is a registered Architect. In the state of California, you're not supposed to call yourself an Architect unless you are registered with the state licensing agency. That doesn't stop every software professional from calling themself an Architect. The only annoyance here is that it makes it harder to search job listings since most job ads with the title "architect" are for software jobs.

Titles are weird. But not worth stressing out over.
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Old 04-01-2014, 11:55 AM   #43
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It's much more interesting obscuring the MD issue and going incognito. If they want to know, they'll ask. Or it will come up later in a conversationally relevant context.

Defining yourself predominantly by your profession often doesn't end well in my observation. (Pardon my avatar - that was a nostalgia play)
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Old 04-01-2014, 12:14 PM   #44
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Titles are weird.
I'd vote for that as the understatement of the day!

My own opinion is that titles (through degrees, certifications, election, birthright, whatever.........) are subject to time/historical perspective and circumstances.

Time - Hey, academics used to wear apparel indicating their status at all times, not just when wearing "the colors" at graduation ceremonies. But times change. Now the wearing of academic colors is generally ceremonial and rare. And that's how I use the title "Dr." In certain rare circumstances, where the title is mundane and key to the situation, I'll gladly use it. Otherwise, nah.........

Circumstances - A CPA giving a speech at the CPA society convention certainly needs to have his certification tied to his name. A young MD playing golf with an elderly retired MegaCorp CEO doesn't need to have the senior person refer to him as "Dr." At least not in my opinion.

Currently, the only people in my life I refer to as "Dr" are MD's (specialists) I see infrequently. My GP, Dentist and lawyer are all on a first name basis.

Come to think of it, I never hear lawyers (those with a JD) referred to by the title "Dr." Does anyone know why that is?

Perhaps in today's world, a bit of flexibility on everyone's part is in order. The guy OP wrote about needs to have more folks show him the moon when he squeals for his "Dr" title in unrelated circumstances.

Quote:
Is this a case of ego or someone who can't let go his pre-retirement identity?
Specifically answering OP's question:

Yes and yes.
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Old 04-01-2014, 12:49 PM   #45
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Come to think of it, I never hear lawyers (those with a JD) referred to by the title "Dr." Does anyone know why that is?
They get the oh-so-fancy "Esquire" after their name... I guess that's their specially honorific.
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Old 04-01-2014, 12:56 PM   #46
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I assume he was a medical Dr. He didn't look nerdy to me - no offense to Ph Ds in this forum. ( I know you are there, too proud to announce yourselves . )

None taken. I'd always be surprised when someone referred to me as Dr. [Rosie]. I worked in biotech and there were so many other Phoney Doktors* that it was no big deal to us.

(*I did a postdoc at a research hospital where MDs and PhDs intermingled, and the term Phoney Doktor was a running joke amongst us)
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:00 PM   #47
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I've been around two people that preferred to be addressed as "doctor". One was a slimy little schemer at a former IT startup that did everything he could to make himself look more important. He even had them reprint his business cards to add "Ph.D." after his name. ... .
I agree with the rest of your post, but I don't think it would be unusual to have a PhD on a business card, esp if it was relevant to the job. I really can't recall if the PhDs I occasionally worked with had it on their card or not, but I'm certain I never called any of them "Doctor" (unless maybe if we were kidding around), but I did give them a little extra respect for their achievement (assuming they weren't a**holes, and the ones I worked with were not).

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Old 04-01-2014, 01:05 PM   #48
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They get the oh-so-fancy "Esquire" after their name... I guess that's their specially honorific.
Thanks. Interesting. Here they're referred to as either AC or CP. (Ambulance Chaser or Crooked Politician.) Lately here in Illinois, mostly as CP's! If you can't make it to CP, then you get along as best you can as an AC.

So, using a famous Illinois lawyer as an example, it would be Rod Blagojevich, Esq. Until now, I would have used Rod Blagojevich, CP. Who knew?

Gosh, titles are fun!
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:06 PM   #49
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Some years ago, on a business visit to Mexico, I discovered that it is common for professionals to distribute business cards in personal situations. They often identify someone's profession, e.g. Miguel da Silva, ingeniero (engineer). This happened to a colleague of mine at a dance where a young gentleman was trying to chat her up. I guess he thought that being an inginiero would be a major selling point. He was kinda cute….
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:13 PM   #50
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Some years ago, on a business visit to Mexico, I discovered that it is common for professionals to distribute business cards in personal situations. They often identify someone's profession, e.g. Miguel da Silva, ingeniero (engineer). This happened to a colleague of mine at a dance where a young gentleman was trying to chat her up. I guess he thought that being an inginiero would be a major selling point. He was kinda cute….
Not much different from contemporary US. When I met a woman at a dance, I could be fairly certain that the next time I saw her she would know whatever was publically available about me, plus whatever she could pump out of her girlfriends.

Not only does it place a person as to probable income, lifestyle, and education, but there is at least some chance of avoiding axe-murderers
.

Ha
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:20 PM   #51
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I worked at a non-medical academic place, gave talks, wrote papers, directed grad students, and served on committees. I was frequently referred to as "Dr." (which I'm not!).

It made me a little embarrassed. But a little proud, too If they seemed nice, I'd clarify.
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:28 PM   #52
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I know two optometrists (not ophthalmologists) who were getting married and insisted their wedding invitations include Dr. before both of their names. I did an eye roll at that one.
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:33 PM   #53
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In Germany someone with two PhDs could be a Herr Professor Doktor Doktor. However, Angela Merkel, who has a PhD, doesn't need such a title. We all know who she is.

I know a Canadian medical doctor who later did a PhD. She never expected to be called Doctor Doctor.

What would you call the late Elizabeth Taylor? Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs?
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Old 04-01-2014, 01:54 PM   #54
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I know two optometrists (not ophthalmologists) who were getting married and insisted their wedding invitations include Dr. before both of their names. I did an eye roll at that one.
I imagine they see eye to eye on family and work related matters.
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Old 04-01-2014, 02:03 PM   #55
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This reminds me of Bob Dyan's Gotta Serve Somebody lyric, especially the quoted below:

" ...
You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
..."
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Old 04-01-2014, 07:26 PM   #56
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... So, using a famous Illinois lawyer as an example, it would be Rod Blagojevich, Esq. Until now, I would have used Rod Blagojevich, CP. Who knew?

Gosh, titles are fun!
I think a lot of people would have used some more 'colorful' initials to connect to Blogo!


Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meadbh View Post
Some years ago, on a business visit to Mexico, I discovered that it is common for professionals to distribute business cards in personal situations. ....)
Not much different from contemporary US. ....
Not only does it place a person as to probable income, lifestyle, and education, but there is at least some chance of avoiding axe-murderers.

Ha
Well, unless their business card says "Ax Murderer"!



Quote:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeful View Post
I know two optometrists (not ophthalmologists) who were getting married and insisted their wedding invitations include Dr. before both of their names. I did an eye roll at that one.
I imagine they see eye to eye on family and work related matters.
You beat REWahoo to it!


Quote:
Originally Posted by robnplunder View Post
This reminds me of Bob Dyan's Gotta Serve Somebody lyric, especially the quoted below:

" ...
You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You may be a businessman or some high-degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody
..."
Not to side track too much, but.... I'm familiar with the song, but that excerpt got me to read the entire lyric. Interesting, the only choice he offers is the devil or the Lord. Some really fine lyrics, IMO, it's up there with his early works.

-ERD50
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Old 04-01-2014, 09:07 PM   #57
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Sounds like ego to me.....did you ask if he was a Proctologist??
When your chubby-fingered proctologist is looking around for your prostate, and you would like him not to be so stingy with the KY jelly, would you rather address him as "Dr. Jones", or address him only by his first name as you plead, "We need more KY, Troy."
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Old 04-02-2014, 10:44 AM   #58
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Kaffee: Is this funny, sir?

Col. Jessup: [face falls to a look of disgust] No, it isn't. It's tragic.

Kaffee: Do you have an answer to the question, Colonel?

Col. Jessup: Absolutely. My answer is I don't have the first damn clue. Maybe he was an early riser and liked to pack in the morning. And maybe he didn't have any friends. I'm an educated man, but I'm afraid I can't speak intelligently about the travel habits of William Santiago. What I do know is that he was set to leave the base at 0600. Now, are these the questions I was really called here to answer? Phone calls and foot lockers? Please tell me that you have something more, Lieutenant. These two Marines are on trial for their lives. Please tell me their lawyer hasn't pinned their hopes to a phone bill.

Col. Jessup: Do you have any more questions for me, Counselor?

Judge Randolph: Lt. Kaffee? [pause] Lieutenant, do you have anything further for this witness?

[Jessup defiantly gets up to leave the courtroom]

Col. Jessup: Thanks, Danny. I love Washington.

Kaffee: Excuse me. I didn't dismiss you.

Col. Jessup: I beg your pardon?

Kaffee: I'm not through with my examination. Sit down.

Col. Jessup: Colonel.

Kaffee: What's that?

Col. Jessup: I would appreciate it if he would address me as "Colonel" or "Sir." I believe I've earned it.

Judge Randolph: Defense counsel will address the witness as "Colonel" or "Sir."

Col. Jessup: [to Judge] I don't know what the hell kind of unit you're running here.

Judge Randolph: And the witness will address this court as "Judge" or "Your Honor." I'm quite certain I've earned it. Take your seat, Colonel.
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Old 04-02-2014, 10:46 AM   #59
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If its in the course of their work... I use. Otherwise, lighten up
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Old 04-02-2014, 11:18 AM   #60
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When I was at ARCO in the 1980s and the company was going through a "downsizing", our department, Health Sciences, was full of PhD types. Management decided that, in order to re-evaluate everyone's positions, they would issue new business cards to all, and without titles, etc (just your name). (I know that sounds crazy..but it is true).

Some of the PhD's on the floor were livid when there business card only had their name on it. So much so, that some of them bought there own business cards at Kinko's in order to get their PhD title on the card.
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