Are you a "doc"?

[bamamedic]

My Scubaboard name is pretty darn obvious....I live in Alabama, and I'm a medic. A slightly more subtle meaning is the "bama" part. The ambulance company I work for does medical standby for the University of Alabama football team (Roll Tide!), so I really am "bamamedic"

I've learned not to assume anything when it comes to screen names....what's really fun is to hang around the Student Doctor Network forum....at least 75% of the screen names have "doc" somewhere in the title...wishful thinking, I guess.

 

[Tanked]

I didn't see my situation in the available poll choices...

"My SB name includes doc or dr - I'm not a doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night."

"groan"

 

[drdaddy]

I'm a health care provider, clinical psychologist, Ph.D. level. My patients call me doctor, but outside the clinic or hospital I'm known by my first name. Part of my work is with psychological trauma (PTSD etc.), including dive emergencies. While I have taught at the university level in the past, I am a psychotherapist.

My children gave me the name "DrDaddy" and so I use it with affectionate memories. My daughter, also a diver, is a M.D. - she is my "DrDaughter"

I marked: My SB name includes doc or dr - I have a Ph.D.
But I'm also: My SB name includes doc or dr - I am a health care provider

 

[AndrewA]

In real life I am chief of Cardiac Surgery in a new Cardiac Center in Saudi Arabia. On the forum I am a diver and dont think my day job is important. ( Although I am a UKSMDC medical referee the only medical advice I tend to give on diving forums is "speak to a dive medicine specialist !")

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Hey you missed Doctors of Veterinary Medicine. They have to know how to manage multiple species that don't talk I bet a few "human" doctors wished their patients wouldn't talk. "doh" Is FisherDVM still around? wasn't he both?

 

[Katamuki]

The only "doc" I dont get is when a chiropractor calls themselves a physician... I think I read a post on SB not too long ago when I actually saw that.

 

[Jax]

Conventional wisdom says the title Dr. should be used by people who are "Doctors."

Brilliant! "Dr." is the abbreviation for "doctor." The question is: who should call him/herself a doctor (if you respond "a doctor should" I will hang myself)?

Most non-MD only use their title in professional settings; usually sparingly. When I taught college, I actually preferred "professor" to "doctor". Now a days I only use it on my business card, my door card, and occassionally at a conference. Half the fun was getting it at UCSB, great diving off the point. When I worked in DC, used it more often as a quick way to establish my bona fides when the situation called for it.

The only "doc" I dont get is when a chiropractor calls themselves a physician... I think I read a post on SB not too long ago when I actually saw that.

I wish the bolded part were true.

Conventional ettiquette says the only people referred to as "Doctor" should be medical / veterinary doctors. Further, "Dr." may be used in acadamia. I see an unfortunate trend in gov't / contactor professional fields to pin "Doctor" on anyone with a PhD. Perhaps it is due to the posturing and desire to 'flash' credentials.

 

[Crush]

Conventional ettiquette says the only people referred to as "Doctor" should be medical / veterinary doctors. Further, "Dr." may be used in acadamia. I see an unfortunate trend in gov't / contactor professional fields to pin "Doctor" on anyone with a PhD. Perhaps it is due to the posturing and desire to 'flash' credentials.

While you may think that this is the way it should be, such has never been the case historically. Etymologically, a real "doctor" is someone who has completed a terminal degree (that is, a degree beyond which there is no higher degree). The term "doctor" was used to refer to professors before it was attributed to physicians.

 

[Kingpatzer]

Conventional ettiquette says the only people referred to as "Doctor" should be medical / veterinary doctors. Further, "Dr." may be used in acadamia. I see an unfortunate trend in gov't / contactor professional fields to pin "Doctor" on anyone with a PhD. Perhaps it is due to the posturing and desire to 'flash' credentials.

I've worked in government research labs, in academia and in the health care industry. I found the posturing and desire to flash credentials to be about the same in every locale. Some people need to their titles to have their ego's stroked, others do not, and that's just that.

My favorite encounter with the ego thing came quite a few years ago. I was working at an HMO headquarters where there quite a few physicians running around. I was consulting on some IT projects with a few colleagues. One of them, Mike, happened to be in IT consulting because he simply got tired of the post-doc research grind waiting for tenure. He was a quite guy who was very good at what he did for us. And only once did I hear him flaunt his education. It went like this.

A physicians came to Mike's cube to ask a question question. Mike started his response with something like "Well John, . . ." at which point he was interrupted and told "Please call me Doctor Smith" (not his last name, but since I can't remember what it was, it'll do).

Mike paused a second, then responded "John, I have PhDs in astronomy and physics, I've published 30 some peer reviewed papers. You are aren't a brain surgeon but I am a rocket scientist. I'm 'doctor,' you're John"

I chuckled for quite some time.

 

[idocsteve]

I'm an optometrist.

Licensed by NYS to perform eye examinations, fit contact lenses, treat for anterior segment conditions including glaucoma, conjunctivitis, uveitis, and other allergic/infective/inflammatory ocular conditions, as well as treat injuries and remove foreign materials from the eye including metal from grinding.