Dr. X or just plain X

[tobie]

I know that there are threads on this, but i honestly want a fresh opinion.

1. We all have PharmD degrees, why can we not be called "Doctor." I had a FNP with a PhD insist that we all call her "Doctor," but wouldnt call us by the same title.

2. Why do we have to go through so many barriers just to talk to the MD? usually I give up and leave a message with the MA. Even if you get through to the MD they are irritated that they have to talk to you (most of the time).
Once I called to get a refill for a patient, I was promptly told that the MD was out of town but the patient could have 3 more refills.... I was like Wha??

(yes, i am venting... but just humor me on this one)

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[Priapism321]

I know that there are threads on this, but i honestly want a fresh opinion.

1. We all have PharmD degrees, why can we not be called "Doctor." I had a FNP with a PhD insist that we all call her "Doctor," but wouldnt call us by the same title.

2. Why do we have to go through so many barriers just to talk to the MD? usually I give up and leave a message with the MA. Even if you get through to the MD they are irritated that they have to talk to you (most of the time).
Once I called to get a refill for a patient, I was promptly told that the MD was out of town but the patient could have 3 more refills.... I was like Wha??

1. For you, just plain X should be fine.

2. By "we," do you mean you? I almost never have this issue. Maybe it's not a problem with the MD's...

 

[tobie]

1. For you, just plain X should be fine.

2. By "we," do you mean you? I almost never have this issue. Maybe it's not a problem with the MD's...

my main issue: getting treated like we get our licenses out of a cracker-jack box. I know that 60-80% of all our patients will treat us with respect, however, to those who don't maybe having that title will. I really do not hear to many stories of patients treating their MD's like they treat us.

and yes, plain X is just fine.... I just wish the idiots would go to the pharmacy accross the street LOL

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

I know that there are threads on this, but i honestly want a fresh opinion.

1. We all have PharmD degrees, why can we not be called "Doctor." I had a FNP with a PhD insist that we all call her "Doctor," but wouldnt call us by the same title.

2. Why do we have to go through so many barriers just to talk to the MD? usually I give up and leave a message with the MA. Even if you get through to the MD they are irritated that they have to talk to you (most of the time).
Once I called to get a refill for a patient, I was promptly told that the MD was out of town but the patient could have 3 more refills.... I was like Wha??

(yes, i am venting... but just humor me on this one)

I understand you're just venting, but it's not worth getting worked up about. Respect will come quickly when you demonstrate what you can bring to the table (both to patients and physicians).

If a title is one of your main concerns/gripes professionally, you're either a) doing everything right, or b) focusing your attention on the minor issues.

It may be easier said then done, but it honestly isn't worth getting worked up about. Now that you've voiced your frustrations, maybe you can just let it go and move on.

 

[DoctorRx1986]

I understand you're just venting, but it's not worth getting worked up about. Respect will come quickly when you demonstrate what you can bring to the table (both to patients and physicians).

If a title is one of your main concerns/gripes professionally, you're either a) doing everything right, or b) focusing your attention on the minor issues.

It may be easier said then done, but it honestly isn't worth getting worked up about. Now that you've voiced your frustrations, maybe you can just let it go and move on.

just out of curiosity, do you work in retail? I ask because I figure how pharmacists are addressed depends on the setting just as much as knowledge people have about the pharmacy profession. At some retail pharmacies, specifically the one I work in, some of the patients address the pharmacist as "Dr. so and so", but it depends.

What the OP said is true about respect. It's funny because just 3 days ago or so, I read a post on the allopathic forums titled "WTF does a pharmacist do....other than ring you up?" LOL.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

"WTF does a pharmacist do....other than ring you up?" LOL.

Heh. I got to find that thread. Lots of fun to be had.

 

[twester]

like academia and the heads of practitioners who insist on being addressed with a title.

 

[DoctorRx1986]

Heh. I got to find that thread. Lots of fun to be had.

Lol, honestly, when I read that, I just laughed in delight because it was too funny. Going through 6-8 years of post-secondary education for a professional degree simply to "ring" others up. haha. Simply type "WTF does a pharmacist actually do" into the search engine and it will come up quickly.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Hell, I wish all I had to do was count all day for 6 figs. That'd be the ****.

 

[RxWildcat]

I don't have any problems getting to speak to physicians if I need to. Also, physicians usually like when I'm calling if there is some therapeutic issue and I'm addressing it for them, theres no attitude like you're talking about.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

my main issue: getting treated like we get our licenses out of a cracker-jack box. I know that 60-80% of all our patients will treat us with respect, however, to those who don't maybe having that title will. I really do not hear to many stories of patients treating their MD's like they treat us.

and yes, plain X is just fine.... I just wish the idiots would go to the pharmacy accross the street LOL

I agree with you on the 20 percent thinking that we got our degrees from the back of a matchbox. I do my best to sent these people down the block to my competitor duane reade (they need the business anyway ). However for some reason, there is always a few who no matter what, keeps on coming back. Each time that they come back, my blood pressure goes up through the roof. Anyone got any experiences like that; advice for that?

 

[tobie]

i do not work in retail. I work in a closed-door pharmacy. Its nice to only deal with families once in a while, and nurses. I did fill in for a buddy at a retail joint. It seems to me that everyone was A. on soma, lortab, xanax, and ambien B. need to get their meds well before the 80% and C. very rude.

To the other poster: I did vent, and now i feel better. I am concerned about the lack of respect we actually get. Reputation does help i suppose.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

i do not work in retail. I work in a closed-door pharmacy. Its nice to only deal with families once in a while, and nurses. I did fill in for a buddy at a retail joint. It seems to me that everyone was A. on soma, lortab, xanax, and ambien B. need to get their meds well before the 80% and C. very rude.

To the other poster: I did vent, and now i feel better. I am concerned about the lack of respect we actually get. Reputation does help i suppose.

Sometimes, if the American Pharmacist Associatation did more in teaching the public on what we do than what Cvs and Walgreen' television advertisement does, I wouldnt mind donating money to them.

Thats why all of my money goes to the lobbying power of NCPA who does a decent job in fighting pharmacy reembursement cuts.

 

[RxWildcat]

I'll stick with plain X, Dr.X sounds too much like a super villain.