PhD/PsyD Does your patient call you Dr?

[PhDStudentCP]

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Oh! I like this. It gives the client a choice. I am a trainee, but I believe I will feel weird being called Dr. LastName or even Dr. FirstName (which I've seen is becoming increasingly common).

I totally understand that you'd anticipate possibly feeling weird being called something you're not used to at first. I worked as a teacher for years before beginning my PhD, and at first it took some time getting used to being called "Ms. Lastname" all day. But I quickly got used to it.... I would guess that in time we'll get used to being called Dr. Lastname when we finish our training 🙂

 

[BendDontBreak]

Why?

When I was at my last externship, I was called Ms. LastName and I disliked it immensely. It feels like people are talking about someone else--not me!

 

[BendDontBreak]

I totally understand that you'd anticipate possibly feeling weird being called something you're not used to at first. I worked as a teacher for years before beginning my PhD, and at first it took some time getting used to being called "Ms. Lastname" all day. But I quickly got used to it.... I would guess that in time we'll get used to being called Dr. Lastname when we finish our training 🙂

True. I suppose one will eventually habituate to the novelty!

 

[WisNeuro]

When I was at my last externship, I was called Ms. LastName and I disliked it immensely. It feels like people are talking about someone else--not me!

IME, respect and use the title you earned and deserve. If you don't respect it, don't be surprised when others do not as well.

 

[SportsNeuroPsych]

IME, respect and use the title you earned and deserve. If you don't respect it, don't be surprised when others do not as well.

This.

 

[BendDontBreak]

IME, respect and use the title you earned and deserve. If you don't respect it, don't be surprised when others do not as well.

I don't think of my response/view as a lack of respect for the title. I just view one's title and one's competency/professionalism as two separate things.

 

[WisNeuro]

I don't think of my response/view as a lack of respect for the title. I just view one's title and one's competency/professionalism as two separate things.

How you view it is one thing, how others, both colleagues and patients view it is another. We know that people on average equate education/prestige with competence. This is a known quantity. Drop the Dr moniker and you give up perceived competency in the eyes of many.