Hvyou address YOUR PI?

[Hemichordate]

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[blaithnaid]

Title LastName until they tell you otherwise.

 

[Zona Pellucida]

Is he a PhD?

I have had my PI in some form or another every single year I've been an undergraduate (classes, research, counseling, etc). Although we are very informal with each other now since we are so used to being around each other, I still refer to her as Dr. X.

 

[searun]

Generally, I use "Your Eminence." It is respectful and classy.

 

[BlueElmo]

I addressed him as Professor.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

you do not address the PI, the PI addresses you.

 

[partinerns]

My PI is extremely chill. We all call her by her first name.

 

[loveoforganic]

Dr. LastName. Can't go wrong with that.

 

[Everglide]

Title. X

If someone is comfortable with you calling them by a different title or first name, they will tell you.

 

[Hifey]

👍 PhD's also go by "Dr.".... if your PI is not an MD or a PhD then "professor" works!

Dr. LastName. Can't go wrong with that.

 

[OneMCATAway]

my PI is referred to by first name by almost everyone in the group but i still go with Dr. X

 

[Hemichordate]

.

 

[Iso4ane]

my PI is referred to by first name by almost everyone in the group but i still go with Dr. X

Call your PI what he/she wants to be called in lab, in my lab it's a first name basis. But, outside the lab when you talk to other people its "Dr./Professor So and so." can't really go wrong with that

 

[Stixman28]

Title LastName until they tell you otherwise.

👍👍👍

Ive been in 4 labs now, and this is always the case. I have always ended up switching over to first name, but not until a) everyone around me does, b) the PI tells me that is appropriate.

 

[Stewie32]

I would assume your PI has a PhD. I haven't met many that don't have an MD or a PhD (or both). If s/he has a PhD, I would refer to her/him as a Dr. LastName until told otherwise.

The PI that I worked for was MD/PhD. I referred to him as Dr. LastName until he told me to call him a shortened version of his last name (he was from India, and it was crazy hard for me, as a westerner, to pronounce his name).

 

[DendWrite]

God.

 

[shiftingmirage]

First name, but she said you can call me by my first name since you're no longer my student. Before that, it was always Dr.

 

[Narmerguy]

Title LastName until they tell you otherwise.

Yep this is what I go by.

my PI is referred to by first name by almost everyone in the group but i still go with Dr. X

Same 🙁 I want her to tell me I can too so I can stop feeling so formal around her but she hasn't.

 

[artx2008]

Dr. LastName. Can't go wrong with that.

That's what I do as well.

 

[riverjib]

My PI is awesome. He's about 40 years old, and in his <10 years in the US, he's already published over 40 times. When I addressed him as Dr. X, he looked downright weirded out. He asked me to call him by his first name. The rest of his students call him Dr. Y (Y being his first name), but he seems uncomfortable with the label thing.

He actually said today that he had no interest in medicine because he never wanted to take work or titles home with him. He wanted to be who he was at work (without exaggerated importance) and a dad and husband at home. He prefers that adults (even students of his) call him by his given name because that is who he is and how he envisions himself.

So I call him "Y," and not Dr. X or Dr. Y. Since I'm uncomfortable with not acknowledging his incredible accomplishments, truth be told, I just knock and his door and say "hi," without actually addressing him.

I'm fine with calling certain professors "Jon" or "Susan," but I was raised in that strange interim between 1970 and 1990 that make it not okay to address your professors as equals. I'll learn.

Now on to another question--how do you approach your future in-laws? They sign cards as "mom and dad" or "X and Y," but what do you do? This is completely off-topic, but I figured I'd ask 🙂

 

[looks like mae]

I call one pi Dr. X and the other by their first name. That was how I was introduced to them, and that's what I've stuck by.

 

[Tolip]

Always error on the side of being too courteous/professional.

 

[7starmantis]

Private Investigator?

 

[blaithnaid]

Now on to another question--how do you approach your future in-laws? They sign cards as "mom and dad" or "X and Y," but what do you do? This is completely off-topic, but I figured I'd ask 🙂

Ms Firstname / Mr Firstname.

 

[RevMD]

Title LastName until they tell you otherwise.

During my first few days, I felt more comfortable addressing my PI as "Professor [name]," just out of respect even though he introduced himself by first name on day one. This is more often the case if you work in a small lab where interaction with the PI is frequent. Larger labs with 5-10+ grad students tend to be a bit more formal, but not always. If you are unsure, better to always address the PI by title.

 

[ThaliaNox]

I addressed my research advisor as Dr. X even after I babysat her kids and had lunch with her numerous times, as well as bonded over reactions which needed tending all night. I guess it depends on the person.