Being called by first name by recruiters?

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Piebaldi

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hey all - have any of you come across recruiters who call you by first name? Not sure if it's me or whether this is common. It makes me feel a little odd. I don't want to make a big deal out of this, particularly for a position that I might be interested in, but not sure how to address. Do I bring it up? Let it go?
Thoughts?
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drusso said:
My first name is Doctor.
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Ha I know. I just think it feels weird being like hey! ITs not so and so, it's Dr. so and so. I had a patient's family member call me by my first name once I politely corrected them and said it's dr. so and so and they got supperrrr pissed!
 
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It's just the intentional creep of devaluing physicians, propaganda at work. The recruiter probably has no idea they have fallen victim to this, but they are implicit in the game; they are the ones working for the hospitals and mega-corps trying to place a "provider" in their money machines.

Your lucky they don't just call you "Provider."

I'd politely remind them you are a physician and are to be addressed as "Doctor."
 
Or you could just get passive aggressive and keep referring to him as “Dr. _____” until he gets the point
 
never call them by their first name, and if you have been, its kinda too late.

then again, you are asking an administrator to help you get a job, and you can trust them about as far as ..
 
got an email yesterday from an admin assistant with the introduction
"Hello Providers"
 
First name use is to personalize their relationship with you.
 
Ligament said:
When I was raised, I was spanked if I did not refer to any adult as at LEAST Mr. and Mrs.
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I think it's because I'm a woman and look very young. Not infrequent that I'm called nurse, or they ask me if I'm the NP. It used to bother me a lot before, sometimes still does - but meh I'm more like whatever these days.
 
As a recruiter-they should never call you by your first name, unless you ask them to do so. Through twenty years, I have only had 4 or 5 physicians tell me to please call them by their first name, which was almost impossible to do because I am so used to calling everyone Dr.----. This should be ingrained in a recruiters speech to only call you Dr.--. Whether you are the client or the candidate. It is 100% a term of respect and you have all earned it!
 
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It's all over the map with me. New friends in exercise clubs call me "doc" sometimes. Some nurses call me by first name. Pts sometimes try this too. It's funny because they go out of their way when they really don't have to call me anything at all.

I've just found it's best to not take it personally. They all have their reasons and rationalizations. I just feel like I'm the bigger person if I let them do whatever makes them comfortable.

The only time I think it's relevant is if it's in a group, in a healthcare setting, and there are patients or students in the group. In that setting, I think it's helpful to know who the doctors are.

I worked with a guy once that kept calling me by my first name in committee mtgs. It was annoying because he would almost correct people who called me doctor. So I had to ask him to stop. I told him please call me by my first name outside of work.
 
My patients call me doctor, except the really old ones that could be my parents and they mean it in an endearing way, and the really uneducated ones that were not raised by parents that taught them manners, but they too mean the best.
 
I don’t care how I am addressed by patients, staff community etc..
 
patients will address you by your first name as a matter of control - either over the situation or over the eventual interactions between you and them.

i get immediately suspicious when a new patient calls me by my first name - most likely because they will be bargaining to get opioids.
 
I get called by my first name often, I have it on my lead and always introduce myself as Dr. with first and last name. It really only bothers me if it seems that a patient is trying to be demeaning, which is very rare. I try not to get caught up with it too much. Once, I was in a patient role during my first year in residency and I asked one of the PAs with the team rounding on me what his name was, as I did not catch it. He introduced himself as Dr..... That annoyed me more than anything 🙂 I reviewed my records afterwards just to make sure his mother did not actually name him Doctor.
 
A recruiter addressing me by my first name...? Not a good way to recruit me to any of your job leads, but nice try, i guess.

Patients calling me by my first name...absolute no. In the workplace, Unless i tell you that you can use my first name, I am to be called “Doctor” because it helps maintain my professional distance. Dont want them feeling too comfortable with me as if im their buddy—maybe if i didnt work in pain with so many manipulative drug seekers i wouldnt be so sensitive to all this, but for now, ill remain conservative and refuse to allow patients to address me by my first name.
 
MiddleOfNowherrr said:
A recruiter addressing me by my first name...? Not a good way to recruit me to any of your job leads, but nice try, i guess.

Patients calling me by my first name...absolute no. In the workplace, Unless i tell you that you can use my first name, I am to be called “Doctor” because it helps maintain my professional distance. Dont want them feeling too comfortable with me as if im their buddy—maybe if i didnt work in pain with so many manipulative drug seekers i wouldnt be so sensitive to all this, but for now, ill remain conservative and refuse to allow patients to address me by my first name.
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That answer with your profile pic - 🤣
 
rokshana said:
No it’s to equalize the relationship...which it is not...frankly have never had a recruiter do this ...prolly new to the recruiter game.
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I've had this happen several times now, by several different recruiters! One called me the other day - I was rather curt, and she says, "Hey "first name" blah blah blah. I was sooo annoyed. What should I do - be like hey i't not hey first of all and it's dr so and so?

I've had even a physician who is recruiting for a job call me by first naem and then introduce himself as dr so and so. I was like ummm. I don't want to be rude but it does bother me. What in their mind makes them think they should address me by first name?

I'm interviewing for a job tomorrow, the recruiter guy keeps calling me by first name. It seems like a reasonable job so don' want to make a big deal out of it but it bothers me.

Even when I started working at this one hospital recently, the SECRETARY calls me by first name -I say, no it's dr so and so and she got all bent out of shape. Even a patient's family member addressed me by first name one and i said it's dr so and so and she got pissed. I just don't get it.
 
Piebaldi said:
i doubt that you have the same thing happen to you.
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Maybe you're right? Maybe I work hard not to let little things get to me... Except being called provider. That irks me every time!

Just be professional, good at what you do, respectful to others and don't let stuff like this get to you too much.
 
Agree with others about the continued devaluation of us as a profession. I am called by my first name outside of work but in a professional situation I am Dr. laryngospasm unless another physician is speaking. Hell at my hospital the physicians call each other Dr.
 
it may also be that you have a friendly outgoing personality that encourages people to feel comfortable with you. on top of them being sexist.

I know right off the bat when a patient calls me by their first name that they feel uncomfortable; want to exert some kind of control in the situation, or are seeking opioids.
 
Ducttape said:
it may also be that you have a friendly outgoing personality that encourages people to feel comfortable with you. on top of them being sexist.

I know right off the bat when a patient calls me by their first name that they feel uncomfortable; want to exert some kind of control in the situation, or are seeking opioids.
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I think it has to do with me being a woman not sure. I met with the admin person of an Ortho group - they offered me 200k base plus some dubious bonus. I was like umm I make more than that now. Who pays a pain physician 200k? I don't think even PCPs or FM or even Pediatricians get paid just 200k these days.
 
Piebaldi said:
I think it has to do with me being a woman not sure. I met with the admin person of an Ortho group - they offered me 200k base plus some dubious bonus. I was like umm I make more than that now. Who pays a pain physician 200k? I don't think even PCPs or FM or even Pediatricians get paid just 200k these days.
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I'm a guy and get called by my first name at various times. Sometimes it's a one-off. Other times, people try to normalize it. Some people want to be your equal. Some want to be your buddy. Some are angry you have control of their meds. Some are jealous of the prestige you carry as a doc.

It's best not to take it personally, unless it's going to have an impact on something real.

On the salary question, I've been offered less. I was offered 165 and 130 on 2 separate occasions as I was just about to complete my ACGME pain fellowship 10 years ago. I know a guy who's been practice for 3 years in a highly productive situation and was recently offered 200k.

It's all part of the game. People will take advantage of you if you let them.
 
Piebaldi said:
I think it has to do with me being a woman not sure. I met with the admin person of an Ortho group - they offered me 200k base plus some dubious bonus. I was like umm I make more than that now. Who pays a pain physician 200k? I don't think even PCPs or FM or even Pediatricians get paid just 200k these days.
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The $200K was just a base. What's the best you could do you do if you worked your *$$ off for the bonus in their scenario?
 
drusso said:
The $200K was just a base. What's the best you could do you do if you worked your *$$ off for the bonus in their scenario?
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Yes the base is 200K, but my current base as a general PM&R person is more than that! And if I worked my tail off I could make significant bonus NOW. Why would I spend another year of my life get more training and waste that year of salary and make less base after that? Makes no sense. The *bonus* is 60% after 2 times your salary, so essentially 60% after 400k. No thanks. The other pain person there is a PM&R and did some sort of spine/sports type thing and makes high 200's to 300k. For that I'd stay at my current gig which is quite relaxed.
 
Piebaldi said:
I've had this happen several times now, by several different recruiters! One called me the other day - I was rather curt, and she says, "Hey "first name" blah blah blah. I was sooo annoyed. What should I do - be like hey i't not hey first of all and it's dr so and so?

I've had even a physician who is recruiting for a job call me by first naem and then introduce himself as dr so and so. I was like ummm. I don't want to be rude but it does bother me. What in their mind makes them think they should address me by first name?

I'm interviewing for a job tomorrow, the recruiter guy keeps calling me by first name. It seems like a reasonable job so don' want to make a big deal out of it but it bothers me.

Even when I started working at this one hospital recently, the SECRETARY calls me by first name -I say, no it's dr so and so and she got all bent out of shape. Even a patient's family member addressed me by first name one and i said it's dr so and so and she got pissed. I just don't get it.
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Because: MANY, many physicians ARE, and even ENCOURAGE staff to address them by first name; ESPECIALLY if they are working with them daily/ often.
I have noticed, though- this is much more common and true at Major Academic facilities./ level 1 trauma . idk
 
Piebaldi said:
I think it has to do with me being a woman not sure. I met with the admin person of an Ortho group - they offered me 200k base plus some dubious bonus. I was like umm I make more than that now. Who pays a pain physician 200k? I don't think even PCPs or FM or even Pediatricians get paid just 200k these days.
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I’m a woman and as I said before, I have yet to have a recruiter call me anything other than Dr.last name. And I’ve been doing locums since 2011...have lost count of the number of calls and emails that I have gotten over the years...
 
rokshana said:
I’m a woman and as I said before, I have yet to have a recruiter call me anything other than Dr.last name. And I’ve been doing locums since 2011...have lost count of the number of calls and emails that I have gotten over the years...
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I keep getting called "first name" all the time.
 
Piebaldi said:
Yes the base is 200K, but my current base as a general PM&R person is more than that! And if I worked my tail off I could make significant bonus NOW. Why would I spend another year of my life get more training and waste that year of salary and make less base after that? Makes no sense. The *bonus* is 60% after 2 times your salary, so essentially 60% after 400k. No thanks. The other pain person there is a PM&R and did some sort of spine/sports type thing and makes high 200's to 300k. For that I'd stay at my current gig which is quite relaxed.
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Well, that makes sense. I always tell people don't look at the base--it just sets the floor (it's the worst you could do)--look at the total potential.
 
drusso said:
Well, that makes sense. I always tell people don't look at the base--it just sets the floor (it's the worst you could do)--look at the total potential.
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The base though is less than what a generalist makes - makes no sense to do an extra year of training for next to nothing tomake potentially less than you did before you did a fellowship. Most places I've seen start off at 300-400k. There is also no partnership. No thanks.
 
Piebaldi said:
The base though is less than what a generalist makes - makes no sense to do an extra year of training for next to nothing tomake potentially less than you did before you did a fellowship. Most places I've seen start off at 300-400k. There is also no partnership. No thanks.
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But if the place is a well-oiled machine and the upside $600K, then what do you care about the base? Setting the base just attributes the risk for the worst case scenario (either assigning more risk to the employee or more to the employer). The upside is where the real money is.
 
drusso said:
But if the place is a well-oiled machine and the upside $600K, then what do you care about the base? Setting the base just attributes the risk for the worst case scenario (either assigning more risk to the employee or more to the employer). The upside is where the real money is.
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Umm but the base shouldn't be sooo measley. Also the other pain guy that's there seems to be making as I said high 200's or 300 or so. Not earth shattering.
 
Piebaldi said:
Umm but the base shouldn't be sooo measley. Also the other pain guy that's there seems to be making as I said high 200's or 300 or so. Not earth shattering.
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Yeah, but again, the BASE is not a statement/reflection about your worthiness as a human being...it's just a financial statement about the employer's attribution of risk in this scenario (they want to to put more risk on you and not be on the hook for a high base). This doesn't sound like a high-income opportunity, but let say it was or let's say there were other factors that made it attractive (proximity to family), then it would be useful to explore with the other side WHY they see the risk the way they do...you might discover something like, "Yeah, the last guy was a complete slug and I vowed never again to pay someone to just sit around and collect a pay-check..."
 
drusso said:
Yeah, but again, the BASE is not a statement/reflection about your worthiness as a human being...it's just a financial statement about the employer's attribution of risk in this scenario (they want to to put more risk on you and not be on the hook for a high base). This doesn't sound like a high-income opportunity, but let say it was or let's say there were other factors that made it attractive (proximity to family), then it would be useful to explore with the other side WHY they see the risk the way they do...you might discover something like, "Yeah, the last guy was a complete slug and I vowed never again to pay someone to just sit around and collect a pay-check..."
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It seems they are happy with the current guy, and that they are booking out 5+ weeks out so they don't want to lose all the patients that they currently can't schedule. They also have 2 clinics, surgery center, etc. It seems to me like they are cheap. And yes it's close to family and ironically one of the hospitals I already cover in terms of the inpt. stuff. They also don't make non surgeons partners which seems lame. I think it's simply the devaluation of non-surgeons. Oh well
 
Piebaldi said:
It seems they are happy with the current guy, and that they are booking out 5+ weeks out so they don't want to lose all the patients that they currently can't schedule. They also have 2 clinics, surgery center, etc. It seems to me like they are cheap. And yes it's close to family and ironically one of the hospitals I already cover in terms of the inpt. stuff. They also don't make non surgeons partners which seems lame. I think it's simply the devaluation of non-surgeons. Oh well
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Find yourself a job where you are valued enough to have a share in decision making. I’m in an ortho group and the PM&R partner (who’s been with the group about 13 years) is the highest earner in the practice.
 
callmeanesthesia said:
Find yourself a job where you are valued enough to have a share in decision making. I’m in an ortho group and the PM&R partner (who’s been with the group about 13 years) is the highest earner in the practice.
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Well I feel devalued when the salary base is even less than what I make now in a PM&R group that is all PM&R and that is very accommodating and responsive to my needs, and where I certainly can work harder and make much more (granted I have taken it easier this year because I was burned out after residency), but being told from the bat you are going to be employed, no partnership for non surgeons, etc seems demeaning and lame. I'm sure that Im not lame enough for them not to collect all that nice cash from all the procedures I would be doing and all the billing I'd be collecting for them. So it's a massive devaluing of non surgeons. In any group I would expect to be a partner at some point - if that's not even on the table, I think Iwill skip.
 
Piebaldi said:
Well I feel devalued when the salary base is even less than what I make now in a PM&R group that is all PM&R and that is very accommodating and responsive to my needs, and where I certainly can work harder and make much more (granted I have taken it easier this year because I was burned out after residency), but being told from the bat you are going to be employed, no partnership for non surgeons, etc seems demeaning and lame. I'm sure that Im not lame enough for them not to collect all that nice cash from all the procedures I would be doing and all the billing I'd be collecting for them. So it's a massive devaluing of non surgeons. In any group I would expect to be a partner at some point - if that's not even on the table, I think Iwill skip.
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You are a woman and chose the screen name Pie Bald I. Devalued: yes please. Unless you are Indira Gandi
 
lobelsteve said:
You are a woman and chose the screen name Pie Bald I. Devalued: yes please. Unless you are Indira Gandi
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Piebald is a type of dachshund, not sure what you are referring to. I call my dachshund Piebaldi as a sign of affection.
 
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