When do YOU add the initials M.B.A. or Ph.D. or J.D., etc. to your name/signature (assuming you have earned the degree)? Do you use it only when signing official correspondence requiring the degree? Do you use it always? Special question for military members: do you add initials to your name/signature when writing official military correspondence, i.e. memorandums? Is this a sign of arrogance (look what I accomplished)? Insecurity (I have to have initials for someone to believe me)? Does adding initials really matter? Does the reader even care? What benefits are there to adding initials to your signature? Gary
My bottom line: use them if they're relevant. Don't in informal, social, or otherwise irrelevant settings. Don't lead with your title, "Hi, I'm Dr. Jones," unless you're in the appropriate setting (like academia, but I'd still use my first and last name, omitting title). And don't correct someone calling you "Mister Jones" instead of "Doctor Jones." A man with a doctorate is both, and either will do just fine.
Within the medical community there seems to be an expectation that one will use all of their initials. So, the only time I use any initials is when I write an article in an emergency medical services (EMS) related publication. In that case, I will add "MBA, NREMT-P" after my full name. Other than on DegreeInfo.com, and when I publish, I never mention my degrees. But, as Rich said, I might use Ph.D. a bit more often when I get it.
Perhaps one of the best examples I found on this forum is John Bear. He always addresses himself as "John Bear", though his title is officially "Dr. John Bear". The use of letters or titles is a personal matter. In some circumstances, for instance a lawyer, will always use LLB or JD after his or her name. This is normal practice within this profession. However in a university or college setting, an instructor usually has the title of "Professor" (rather than "Dr."). I guess it depends on the individual and the profession he or she is pursuing. In my lifetime I have acquired four university degrees (B.A. M.A. B.Ed. and MBA). I rarely use these letters after my name. My friends, colleagues and business associates know me as "Roy" and that's fine with me.
All I have is a wimy DL M.A. If I put the initials after my name, all of you doctors and doctoral students would laugh at me. (You all have bigger ones than me.) Why is it that doctors can insist that others call them "doctor", but masters can't insist that others call them "master"? Personally, I like the sound of that... Seriously, I have never had any occasion to use any initials after my name. It's interesting that scientists generally have Ph.D.s. It's expected. But they rarely call themselves "doctor" or write "Ph.D." after their name. Doing so would come across to colleagues as pomposity. Informally, they call each other by their first names, and usually refer to each other in the professional literature without titles (but with institutional affiliation): "Ralph Jones of the University of Arizona". About the only time you hear he title "doctor" is in a formal introduction (usually to a group): "I'd like to introduce Dr. Ralph Jones of the University of Arizona."
At least in Florida the use of credentials and degrees in the medical community seems to follow the credential/degree format. E.g: Benjamin Spock MD, PhD. (well a better example is non physicians) Clara Barton RN, BSN My old boss ( our ER unit director) Nice Lady RN, BSN Some nurses use: Whacked Chick RN, CCRN,CEN (critical care registered nurse, certified emergency nurse),BSN I could use Me RN, CEN, CCRN, AA, ASN, BSN, BSIS, LLB, MSChem but people would think I am a pompus ass -wait they already do. My dentist uses David Dentist DDS, MS. However he prefers to be called Dave and drives a VW Vanagon.
Update for soldiers: AR 25-50 para. 2-3i (3) states: "Do not use academic degrees, religious orders, or fraternal orders as part of the signature block unless it would benefit the Army for the receiver to know this information, for example, use of a medical degree to show that medical information provided was based on expertise of a member of the medical profession." Interesting. So, you'll have to wait until separation before using Ph.D. next to your name unless you comply with the above. Write a book - then you'll be able to see it next to your name!
I think it depends on the profession. In counseling, there is an expectation that the degree and certifications will be listed after your name.
I work in healthcare, and as others have already pointed out here, in that setting I could use: David A. April, BA, MBA, DBA, CAM, CM, CRM You see the problem-- too much of a "billboard". So here's what I do and don't do. The only degree I generally show is the DBA. It appears on my business card, and I use it with the signature in formal outgoing correspondence. I never use the BA or MBA, because the widely accepted rule is that one should generally show only the highest degree as a suffex to the name. I never use any initials on internal memos, emails, or in casual notes. Nor do I ever use the form Dr. David April with one exception, that being in the return address on an envelope. Also, if anyone calls me "doctor" I ask that they please call me by my first name. A footnote on attorneys: In New England, I find it rare for lawyers to use LLB or JD after their names. Rather it is always Esq.
I rarely see lawyers use J.D. after their name other than when listed in schools faculty listings such as in catalogs. Professionally, I see the use of Esq. quite often on attorney business cards. John
I've noticed (and been told) that for lawyers, on business cards and the like where it is obvious from their title that they are a lawyer, they don't use Esq. or JD or LLB; however, where it is not obvious they are a lawyer, they will use the title in some fashion. John Smith, Attorney at Law -- no letters John Smith, Esq., Director of Marketing -- if he is a lawyer working as director of marketing That's what I've seen, and it appears to make sense. I've never seen John Smith, Esq., Attorney at Law -- that would be redundant. Just my $.02.
How does one get all this on a business card? The Reverend Doctor Professor Chancellor Chief Swift Eagle, BA, MA, MBA, MDiv, PhD, ThD, DD, JD.
I graduated from Law School 25 years ago. Other than on some publications and in the case of corporate directories, I have never used the JD after my name. I can't say that I have ever seen an attorney do that. There was a fellow around the area who graduated from law school but was unsuccessful at passing the bar. He became an enrolled agent with the state compensation board and handled worker's comp cases exclusively. He used the JD. Then, on the 7th try he passed the bar and is now an attorney and the JD disappeared. Wes (for the first, and probably last time ever, C. Wesley Grady, BA, MPA, MA, JD)
I believe attorneys generally refrain from using the title “doctor” because originally lawyers had no advanced degree at all. They were simply BA’s, BS’s or LL.B’s. However, those in federal service positions are paid on a grade system partially based off the degree and many federal attorneys were complaining that they were underpaid when compared with other staffers with first professional degrees. This happened along the same time as the ABA pushed to get rid of preceptorship programs. The ABA had been pushing for years to get membership in the bar made contingent upon passing a written exam, and graduating from an ABA approved law school. So... all these came together -- and law schools changed their degree to a J.D. I assume the practice of using the term “doctor” just hasn’t caught on because attorneys didn’t start out that way and it’s a very traditional field.
