Child docs, what do your clients call you?

[Childdoconeday]

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For child/teen docs- what do your clients call you? Let's say my name is Dr. First name Last name. Do your clients call you Dr. Last name or Dr. First name, or just First name?

Thanks!

 

[Doctor Eliza]

Kids usually call me Dr. First Name. Teens I offer to let them call me just First Name. If it matters, I have a last name that is typically mispronounced by adults at first. My adult clients call me a variety of things: Dr. first name, Dr. last name, or first name. I don’t get too hung up on it. When I introduce myself, I typically say, “I’m first name last name”. I throw in “Dr.” first name last name if they have been disrespectful to office staff or I have some reason that I feel I need to assert some authority.

I work in a private practice setting.

Interested to hear how others answer the question.

 

[AbnormalPsych]

I don't work with children, but for teens and adults I do the same as @Doctor Eliza

 

[ClinicalABA]

Most of the kiddos I see don’t actually directly refer to me. They’ve actuall called me “papa” or even “mama” more than my actual name or title! I introduce myself to the child and family as “first name.” The families and other professionals who are usually present (e.g. staff from early intervention program) refer to me as “the doctor”, “first name”, or “Dr. first name” pretty much interchangeably. My last name- while spelled phonetically- for some reason doesn’t look like it should be pronounced as such and seems to cause difficulties, particularly for my the Spanish speaking clientele (about 85% of my clients), so I don’t hear it that much, if at all.

 

[mypointlesspov]

Not a doctor yet, but my first practicum supervisor (public school placement) was called Dr. Nickname (e.g., Dr. Sam for Samantha or something) by both students and adults.

 

[BuckeyeLove]

Haven't done any kiddo work in while, but when I was doing juvenile forensic evaluations in private practice they tended to just call me Dr. [Insert my first name]. When I was working at my state's kiddy prison they would just yell out my last name lol. didn't bother me. could have been called a lot worse.

 

[ellenew]

Dr. First Name or Dr. Last Name depending on the age.

 

[GrapesOfMath]

I usually have repeated contact with the parents before I meet the kid. I introduce myself for the first time as Dr. Firstname Lastname, and give the parents my card with my credentials on it. In subsequent phone messages (the only time I continue to refer to myself), I say Firstname Lastname a couple times, then just start using my first name. Many families continue calling me Dr. Firstname or Dr. Lastname after I'm using my first name with them, and some just use my first name; both are fine with me. When I meet the kid for the first time I say "My name is Dr. Firstname Lastname, and you can call me Firstname."

For what it's worth, I do the same thing with adult clients- full title the first time, then gradually walk back to using just first name, and let them call me whatever they want.

 

[TherapyCakes]

I introduce myself (usually over the phone when setting the appt with parents) as "Dr First name Last Name" and my voicemail is "Dr First name Last name" but in session it almost immediately just moves to "First name" at my request with everyone I see (kids, teens, parents). Some parents will still call me doctor, but most are fine to move to first name basis. I am in a small state/community so not sure if that makes much of a difference? Oddly in grad school (went to a more southern school) we were all "Ms. First name" or "Mr. First name" to kids. That hasn't really translated to the northeast for me as "Dr. First name."

 

[ClinicalABA]

I just had a 3 y.o. client call me "Sam." My name is nothing close to that. While my beard is almost as long as Yosemite Sam's, it is the wrong color, goes down the middle, and I'm sure Yosemite Sam is not something he know's of. In the kid's defense, I did respond so I guess he used an effective strategy (he was trying to get me to build a Lego tower with him while i was trying to give diagnostic feedback to his mother).

 

[Dr. Melfi]

Dr. First Name. Parents/guardians often refer by first name, which I'm fine with.