Question about using the title Doctor

Now that was funny

 

Some clarification

Thanks, but I didn't have any real difficulties in securing licensure (other than still needing 800 hours of post-doctoral supervision!)

APA has no direct role in licensing and New York did nothing other accept and process my paperwork and issue me a limited permit and certify me for the EPPP.

Actually, it was appropriate and required. Psychology long ago divorced itself from the medical model of training so our internships are PRE-doctoral. However, as we are clinicians-in-training, the clients would often reflectively refer to us as "doctor" (and we were supposed to correct them).

So, when you finally finish internship -- and graduate -- after a year of being not called "doctor", you're pretty eager to hear it.

Which generally the same reason I follow the same practice.

Case in point, I was interviewing to join the clinical staff of a local hospital today. When being introduced to various department heads, it was "Hi, I'm Steve ____." But when a patient introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Dr. _____."

 

I would like to thank the members of this board for sharing their thoughts to this question. I actually learn a great deal concerning what may have been a trivial question. I am working on an Active directory project here in California, and I saw a physician displaying his name on his lab coat as Dr John Doe MD. How redundant is that? Why not just John Doe, MD I am assuming that he is trying to distinguish himself from someone whom may have a PHD rather than a MD.

 

Putting "Dr." and the degree is redundant, but it is a common error. I remember seeing "Dr. William H. Cosby, Ed.D." in the Cosby show credits. When people do that to me (and I have a chance to correct it), I ask them to eliminate either the "Dr." or the "Ed.D." Most physician lab coats that I have seen are "John Doe, MD".

 

Ha! If he's wearing a lab coat, isn't it a given what kind of doctor he is?

 

No, maybe he or she is a DO or DC or even an AP perhaps a PA-C (but that is not really a doctor).

 

What exactly does the term sensei mean?

 

It's a Japanese word that approximates 'teacher' that's often used as an honorific and as an expression of respect. It literally means something like 'experienced one' and it has a wider application than our word 'doctor' and isn't just used in academic or medical situations. It's more like some of the older English usages of 'master', as in a skilled master of an art who's in a position to teach younger apprentices.

 

Ah! In other words, it has the same usage that the original usage of the Latin term doctor had in the time before European universities commenced offering doctoral degrees. EDIT: And here I thought sensei meant exclusively martial arts instructor.

 

lol

Thanks BillDayson for the explannation.

 

I'm not a doctor but I play one in the bedroom. That being said I think titles are really not that important and often try to establish a class system where one is entirely unnecessary.

I know in my own line of work, usually the only guys who refer to me by title (Staff Sergeant or Sergeant) are the general public, people who don’t know me and the new guys. The guys I work with everyday, that I would trust my wife, my wallet and my wife to just call me either by my first name, last name or initials (kind of a nickname) and I’m cool with that. It’s informal and keeps a sense of teamwork. I have my role, they have theirs and I don’t need them to constantly reinforce who I am to them over and over again by insisting on a title being used. That being said some call me “Sarge” and that’s okay too. I don’t mind either way. And that’s in a quasi-paramilitary setting.

 

TCord1964,

Re: Response # 14,

I got a chuckle out of that one!

As it has been clearly stated on this thread, it boils down to security and/or the lack of the same, my father is a doctor and over the many years that he has practiced, he could care less how you refer to him as long as you are polite. He has stood before patients, ready to cut them up and they have referred to him as "Mr." minutes before they're about to go under! He doesn't care at all.

Now, my uncles are doctors too, and one of them will stop you in your tracks and "correct you" without hesitation. He believes he earned the title and everyone should know about it.

I have one uncle who is world renown in his field and does forensic work for major murder crimes. He could care less how you refer to him and if anything he prefers his first name. He doesn't need a title as everyone is familiar with his work and that's a full-time job just dealing with those who want to talk to him.

Funny how some people crave the title while others who achieve excellence in their field could care less.