Are you a "doc"?

[Rhone Man]

I'm not sure why you'd have a problem with opthamologists refering to themselves as doctors, since they're just as much MDs as anybody else who graduated from medical school, unless you're bothered by MDs in general refering to themselves as doctors.

I believe that opthamology is a medical specialty - opthamologists are MDs who have concluded that specialty. Optometrists are not MDs.

My bad - sorry. Although I wasn't really saying I had a problem with it, just a phenomena I noticed.

I was also off base on the European thing, as I remember now that German and Swiss lawyers all like to refer to themselves as Doctors too.

Another curious thing (again, cultural observation) - in the UK, once a medical doctor qualifies as a surgeon, they drop the "Dr" title and revert to being a "Mr" again. Something to do with becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons.

 

[idocsteve]

I believe that opthamology is a medical specialty - opthamologists are MDs who have concluded that specialty. Optometrists are not MDs.

OpHthalmologist

No worries, most people forget that first H

 

[Scotttyd]

My premise is that, the higher your education, the less you feel that you need to convey it to others by using an honorific.

so true, technically I am a doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD), but I make fun of the pharmacists that use the title Doctor in anything they do - especially since I work in the hospital (and ER) it causes to much confusion if non-physicians call themselves doctor even if they hold doctorates.

Although I will use Dr. in a situation if I think I will get some special treatment!! (although for some reason that never has worked)

 

[scubadada]

When asked what I do, I state that I am a physician, that avoids all the confusion with being a doctor.

Very good diving, Craig

 

[Scubagolf]

For some reason nobody defers to the lawyers' expertise here, which I find amusing and they must find maddening.

I couldn't care less, quite frankly.

 

[scubadada]

Collegial agreement between sharks and lawyers, professional courtesy?

Common doctor (physician) joke, Craig

 

[StreetDoctor]

Ones with a regional Type 1 HazMat team.

<shrugs> I was a grad student when I was hired, and kept at it...made lots of shift trades for classes. Now, I do consulting and teaching in HazMat, in addition to my regular shift work.

And everyone knows that Ph.D. stands for "Push here, dummy".


All the best, James

figured you were a hazmat geek

 

[drdaddy]

People sometimes confuse what they do with who they are.

Some people are what they do. That's what we call "the Natural". However, without training and discipline, they will be "the Nothing".

 

[drdaddy]

I'm not sure why you'd have a problem with opthamologists refering to themselves as doctors, since they're just as much MDs as anybody else who graduated from medical school, unless you're bothered by MDs in general refering to themselves as doctors. I'll agree with you about chiropractors though.

I believe that he mean "optometrist", not an ophthalmologist who is (as you said) a MD or DO who is an eye specialist for medical and surgical problems.

 

[vladimir]

There must be more of a cultural attachment to the word Doctor in the US. I have quite a few friends with PhD's (all in the UK), but I can't think that any of them that actually use the title "Doctor".

I notice that even chiropractors and opthamologists refer to themselves as "Doctors" in the US, which all looks a little bit aggrandising to the European eye. Not trying to troll (I know there are plenty of them on the board), but just sayin'.

It looks aggrandizing to the American eye as well. Professors (with PhD's) are ordinarily referred to as "doctor" at school--it just seems to roll off the tongue more easily than "professor," but most non-physicians are pretty sparing in the use of "doctor," in my experience.