I will insist that people call me "Doctor."

[patzan]

I don't think that it is going to bring my much satisfaction to introduce myself as "Dr. So-and-so". I answered "false." There is the cliche about deserving it because I worked so hard, but I don't buy it. Chime in and I'll give more opinion later.

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[eralza]

Oh yeah, I'm livin' the dream! For the past three weeks, my kids have continued to address me as "Dad" in spite of my insistence that I want to be called "Dr. Dad". No respect in the house!

 

[boardchic]

I already make people call me doctor. I think it's more fun now than it will be at any point after I enter med school.

 

[VPDcurt]

I said false, but in professional situations, I would definitely hope that people call me Dr. I think it is a matter of respect. For example, I would expect that my secretary will call me Dr. XXXXX in front of my patients.

 

[Law2Doc]

To paraphrase Austin Powers, "I didn't go to 8 years of evil medical school to be called 'Mister'." 😎

 

[drguy22]

i dont mind whether or not im called Dr. or not.....i dont want my patients to feel inferior to me, i think that just adds to their problems....but each to their own preference.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

i dont mind whether or not im called Dr. or not.....i dont want my patients to feel inferior to me, i think that just adds to their problems....but each to their own preference.

agreed; i don't mind if people call me by my first name but i'd assume patients would want to call us "doctor"

 

[rme04]

my friends already call me dr. and I haven't even gotten into a gd school yet.

 

[futuredoc10]

agreed; i don't mind if people call me by my first name but i'd assume patients would want to call us "doctor"

I don't think I would mind either way. However, I think in certain circumstances, it would be better to be referred to as Dr. XXX just to emphasize patient-physician trust. Just my two cents...

 

[CarleneM]

agreed; i don't mind if people call me by my first name but i'd assume patients would want to call us "doctor"

yeah, the poll should specify if you mean with patients or just in general. in general, i would prefer a first name. with a patient, though, i would never be called by my first name. we call our boss joe when we talk with him but in front of patients, we call him Dr._____. its just way more professional and in what i want to go into, psychiatry, its extra important to distinguish between a friendship where you call someone by a first name and a professional relationship where a title is used.

 

[Kazema]

I said false now, but I don't know how I'd feel after medical school, internship, and residency.

 

[ajt2003]

I'm going to be known as Dr. T.

It's got a nice ring to it, and my last name is just too difficult for most people to pronouce...Dr. T is short and simple.

And it reminds me of I-pity-the-fool Mr. T. Hmmm. I think I will also wear a lot of gold chains and get a mohawk.

 

[gbiz]

i didnt go through 8 years of evil medical school to be called mr. evil


(paraphrased)


id feel weird insisting it. actually id prob go by my first name 🙂

 

[drguy22]

i would want my patients to call me by my first name....at least in my opinion that creates a bond of friendship...and i would hope you all trust ur friends.....i dont want to be called DR. XYZ...but rather maybe doc....in other words something less formal

 

[rpkall]

I don't think I could ever stop someone and say, "No, no, my friend. It's *Doctor* to you."

I think if you're meeting a new patient, it's necessary to introduce yourself as a doctor, so the patient can register the information and define the relationship a bit better from the get go. I do think it's important to maintain professionalism in situations where it's necessary (and I think that's a clinical judgement issue--difficult patients, confrontational situations, psych, pediatrics with the patient's parents).

In life, though? Nah.

At a restaurant once, I saw a guy pay for dinner and the waitress came back with his credit card and said, "Thanks for coming in, Mr. Headupa$$." And he was like, "That's Doctor Headupa$$."

What's the point of THAT, I ask?

 

[Psycho Doctor]

i would want my patients to call me by my first name....at least in my opinion that creates a bond of friendship...and i would hope you all trust ur friends.....i dont want to be called DR. XYZ...but rather maybe doc....in other words something less formal

i agree. to me to insist on being called doctor seems to have an aire of arrogance

 

[drguy22]

I don't think I could ever stop someone and say, "No, no, my friend. It's *Doctor* to you."

I think if you're meeting a new patient, it's necessary to introduce yourself as a doctor, so the patient can register the information and define the relationship a bit better from the get go. I do think it's important to maintain professionalism in situations where it's necessary (and I think that's a clinical judgement issue--difficult patients, confrontational situations, psych, pediatrics with the patient's parents).

In life, though? Nah.

At a restaurant once, I saw a guy pay for dinner and the waitress came back with his credit card and said, "Thanks for coming in, Mr. Headupa$$." And he was like, "That's Doctor Headupa$$."


What's the point of THAT, I ask?

this is what i would say ...

ME to patient: Hi Mr. ABC im Dr. XYZ...but from now on pls call me (first name).

i would think it makes the patient feel less inferior and at the same time they acknowledge the fact that ur a Dr. and not a Mr. or watever.

 

[CarleneM]

i would want my patients to call me by my first name....at least in my opinion that creates a bond of friendship...and i would hope you all trust ur friends.....i dont want to be called DR. XYZ...but rather maybe doc....in other words something less formal

i am coming from a very different place on this one. in psychiatry, you don't want your patients considering you to be a friend because it can create a lot of problems, some ethical and some impacting treatment. it doesn't mean you can't be a warm and caring physician and have a great bond with them but you have to draw the line at first names, home numbers, sharing details of your personal life etc (all typical friendship things). it was really hard for at first to not want to tell the patient "oh yeah my boyfriend is like that too, etc" but you get used to it pretty quickly. for those not going into psychiatry, i guess i can see it being a different situation.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

i am coming from a very different place on this one. in psychiatry, you don't want your patients considering you to be a friend because it can create a lot of problems, some ethical and some impacting treatment. it doesn't mean you can't be a warm and caring physician and have a great bond with them but you have to draw the line at first names, home numbers, sharing details of your personal life etc (all typical friendship things). it was really hard for at first to not want to tell the patient "oh yeah my boyfriend is like that too, etc" but you get used to it pretty quickly. for those not going into psychiatry, i guess i can see it being a different situation.

as long as they both understand the patient-dr relationship I see nothing wrong with them calling you by your first name. I think it puts the patient more at ease and wouldn't you want that PARTICULARLY in a psychiatric patient?

 

[SocialistMD]

this is what i would say ...
ME to patient: Hi Mr. ABC im Dr. XYZ...but from now on pls call me (first name).
i would think it makes the patient feel less inferior and at the same time they acknowledge the fact that ur a Dr. and not a Mr. or watever.

Most patients do not see it in terms of "inferior" or "superior." They acknowledge you know more about medicine than they do or they wouldn't come to you in the first place. Calling you "doctor" is also somehow comforting to a lot of them. I've had patients call me doctor despite the fact that I've told them numerous times that I'm not one and to call me by my first name. They also like to keep that level of separation, and it's easy to see why. I'd have no problem with my doctor seeing me naked and changing the dressing over my perianal abscess daily, but I sure as hell wouldn't want "my buddy" Joe doing the same thing.

It is as important for your patient to keep that level of professionalism as it is for you, and I don't think I've ever encountered a patient who was upset or felt inferior because a physician called him/herself "Dr. X." That said, I don't see the need to correct someone (in the hospital or not) who called me "Mr." instead of "Dr.," but that's just me.

 

[drguy22]

i am coming from a very different place on this one. in psychiatry, you don't want your patients considering you to be a friend because it can create a lot of problems, some ethical and some impacting treatment. it doesn't mean you can't be a warm and caring physician and have a great bond with them but you have to draw the line at first names, home numbers, sharing details of your personal life etc (all typical friendship things). it was really hard for at first to not want to tell the patient "oh yeah my boyfriend is like that too, etc" but you get used to it pretty quickly. for those not going into psychiatry, i guess i can see it being a different situation.

i see ur pnt...but im not goin into psychiatry....ill possibly goin into hemonc...this where patients need the most compassion and by being a friend it can only help them psychologically, i dont see where it can hurt...

 

[CarleneM]

as long as they both understand the patient-dr relationship I see nothing wrong with them calling you by your first name. I think it puts the patient more at ease and wouldn't you want that PARTICULARLY in a psychiatric patient?

drguy: i don't know what the ethical and professional conventions are in the field you mentioned you are interested in. what you said does make sense and perhaps it is quite common in that field and others for docs to go by first name. i'm curious, does anyone know any docs that go by first names and if so, in what field are they in?

psychodoc: there are a few psychiatrists who would agree with you, however the general consensus in the field overall eres on the side of formality for a number of reasons. the thinking is that there are other ways of putting a patient at ease and simply telling them "this is a professional relationship, etc" won't do much good if your actions are more like what a friend would do. Now, i could see a psychiatrist being called "Dr Jim" or Dr Lisa or whatever, particularly in peds but i think it needs to have that dr title attached to it to establish those boundaries. many psych patients have problems with boundaries, are lonely, etc and so you need to take measures to maintain them or it gets risky for both parties. this is particularly important when dealing with say a male heterosexual doc and a female heterosexual client and vice versa.

 

[drguy22]

drguy: i don't know what the ethical and professional conventions are in the field you mentioned you are interested in. what you said does make sense and perhaps it is quite common in that field and others for docs to go by first name. i'm curious, does anyone know any docs that go by first names and if so, in what field are they in?

psychodoc: there are a few psychiatrists who would agree with you, however the general consensus in the field overall eres on the side of formality for a number of reasons. the thinking is that there are other ways of putting a patient at ease and simply telling them "this is a professional relationship, etc" won't do much good if your actions are more like what a friend would do. Now, i could see a psychiatrist being called "Dr Jim" or Dr Lisa or whatever, particularly in peds but i think it needs to have that dr title attached to it to establish those boundaries. many psych patients have problems with boundaries, are lonely, etc and so you need to take measures to maintain them or it gets risky for both parties. this is particularly important when dealing with say a male heterosexual doc and a female heterosexual client and vice versa.

i am gonna have to say that it goes by the field u are in....i completly get where ur comin from....and the last thing i would need is a stalker if i was a psychiatrist..and i can see where it can get out of hand.......

pediatrics for example... a lot of kids are very scared are doctors, and i think this is where u have to lose the formality stuff and just go wit the flow. A kid doesnt understand all that...and thats why you have to bring yourself down to the level of understanding that the kid has.

 

[uptoolate]

I'm gonna change my first name to "Doctor" .

 

[JimmyMallo]

I don't think it will really be that big of an issue. The patients will know ou as Dr. XXX anyway because that is how you are introduced by your appointment setter, nurse, etc. As for the resaurant thing with the credit card, if she couldn't tell he was a doctor by the pimp suit and the platinum card then to hell with her jk...

 

[roadrunnerrita]

I will insist that people call me Doctor... but only in bed.

 

[dopaminophile]

I was surprised when I was overseas that all doctors went by Doctor Jim, Doctor Sue, Doctor Dan, etc all the time. Nobody ever said their family names (I still don't know some of the surnames of people I worked with for months.) While it was informal, their identity was definitely as a physician. One dude even went so far as to wear his stethoscope wherever he went--to parties, dinners, bars, everywhere. Then again, he was in the middle of heavy fighting a few years earlier and wearing your scope could be one of the only symbols for "I'm not fighting, don't shoot me!"

 

[45408]

Calling you "doctor" is also somehow comforting to a lot of them. I've had patients call me doctor despite the fact that I've told them numerous times that I'm not one and to call me by my first name.

Troof. I was doing a patient transfer (transfers suck, btw) and the family of the patient was referring to the M4 as Dr. Smith. I looked at the M4 and thought, hmmmm, she doesn't look old enough to be a full-blown attending, and sho 'nuff, her nametag said medical student on it.

She was kind of aloof when I asked if she was finishing her rotations soon then. 😳

 

[Psycho Doctor]

drguy: i don't know what the ethical and professional conventions are in the field you mentioned you are interested in. what you said does make sense and perhaps it is quite common in that field and others for docs to go by first name. i'm curious, does anyone know any docs that go by first names and if so, in what field are they in?

psychodoc: there are a few psychiatrists who would agree with you, however the general consensus in the field overall eres on the side of formality for a number of reasons. the thinking is that there are other ways of putting a patient at ease and simply telling them "this is a professional relationship, etc" won't do much good if your actions are more like what a friend would do. Now, i could see a psychiatrist being called "Dr Jim" or Dr Lisa or whatever, particularly in peds but i think it needs to have that dr title attached to it to establish those boundaries. many psych patients have problems with boundaries, are lonely, etc and so you need to take measures to maintain them or it gets risky for both parties. this is particularly important when dealing with say a male heterosexual doc and a female heterosexual client and vice versa.

then Dr. (first name) it will be; i hate anything sounding too formal

 

[CarleneM]

then Dr. (first name) it will be; i hate anything sounding too formal

Yeah I really like that too and i thought it was neat to hear that is very common in europe. i think it is a good compromise because it still sets up that boundary.

 

[fun8stuff]

"insist" is a strong word. Perhaps you should have worded it, "I will refer to myself as "Doctor"" or "I will ask to be called Doctor", etc. And do you mean by patients or support staff? I don't think I will insist, but I don't think I will ask people to call me something else (Except maybe my support staff). I do agree that there should be some sense of professionalism.... I think I will go by Dr. Dan...

 

[raekelly]

As a med student I have seen many psychiatrists in the hospital have/allow patients refer to them by their first name. I also have a couple of friends that are psychiatrists and they allow patients to refer to them by their first names. While these psychs really want their patients to feel comfortable and safe, there has never been any problems with establishing boundaries.

Some of their patients see social workers and other master's level clinicians for therapy. These professionals are addressed by their first name. Yet, these clinicians (not at the doctorate level) seem to be able to establish appropriate boundaries with clients.

 

[Fusion]

At a restaurant once, I saw a guy pay for dinner and the waitress came back with his credit card and said, "Thanks for coming in, Mr. Headupa$$." And he was like, "That's Doctor Headupa$$."

What's the point of THAT, I ask?

Interestingly enough, I have found that the kinds of people who often insist on being called "doctor" regardless of the situation/setting are quite often not even physicians. This guy was probably a chiropractor or something 😉

 

[MSHell]

I once knew a guy in EM who would introduce himself to his patients this way: "Hi, my name is Mike." I guess he liked being called Miike by everyone - fellow docs, nurses, other staff and patients. 3AM can be pretty confusing to have 2 names.

On the other hand, someone in my very extended family insists on being called "doctor" even by family members! @sshole.

I think i'd be more like the first person I described. Now that I know what med school is like (but not residency), people have earned the right to be called Dr. but I don't think (the ones I know anyhow) they use it as a power trip. One never wears his white coat or steth. Sheesh, being called Dr. So-and-so just distinguishes him from the patients in the outpatient clinic.

 

[Biscuit799]

I already make people call me doctor. I think it's more fun now than it will be at any point after I enter med school.

I agree, but I don't tell people to call me Dr. However there is this really hot girl who refers to me as "Dr. XXX" It's really really hot when she does that.

 

[stinkycheese]

i am coming from a very different place on this one. in psychiatry, you don't want your patients considering you to be a friend because it can create a lot of problems, some ethical and some impacting treatment. it doesn't mean you can't be a warm and caring physician and have a great bond with them but you have to draw the line at first names, home numbers, sharing details of your personal life etc (all typical friendship things). it was really hard for at first to not want to tell the patient "oh yeah my boyfriend is like that too, etc" but you get used to it pretty quickly. for those not going into psychiatry, i guess i can see it being a different situation.

I agree that shrinks need to maintain boundaries and keep things professional, but I don't think that necessarily includes not calling someone by their first name. If I go into psych, I will introduce myself as Dr. Cheese, but will not blanch if my patients call me Stinky. I know many people who call their therapists by their first names and have no other boundary issues with them. I just think that in order to feel like the relationship is helpful, patients need to know that you are an ally and not just an authority figure who is going to "fix" them. If the building of this alliance includes a natural progression towards communicating on a first-name basis, then so be it. I don't think it signifies a lack of respect, boundaries, or understanding of the professional relationship at all.

 

[stinkycheese]

psychodoc: there are a few psychiatrists who would agree with you, however the general consensus in the field overall eres on the side of formality for a number of reasons.

I wonder who is telling you this. I work with many psychiatrists at Boston-area hospitals and I have had this conversation with them; while everyone introduces themselves as Dr. ____, they wouldn't actually intervene and correct a patient who called them by their first name. As I said in my previous post, professionalism is important and so are boundaries, but I don't think all of that is established (or destroyed for that matter) by what name your patients call you.

the thinking is that there are other ways of putting a patient at ease and simply telling them "this is a professional relationship, etc" won't do much good if your actions are more like what a friend would do.

Again, I don't think letting a patient call you by your first name construes friendship. I think it would be inappropriate for a shrink to introduce themselves as "Steve", but if the shrink introduces himself as "Dr. Smith" and the patient just starts calling him "Steve" over time, I don't see what the issue is. Unless, of course, the patient has other disrespectful or boundary-violation type behaviors.

Now, i could see a psychiatrist being called "Dr Jim" or Dr Lisa or whatever, particularly in peds but i think it needs to have that dr title attached to it to establish those boundaries. many psych patients have problems with boundaries, are lonely, etc and so you need to take measures to maintain them or it gets risky for both parties. this is particularly important when dealing with say a male heterosexual doc and a female heterosexual client and vice versa.

Question: If in the future, a patient calls you Carlene, will you say, "Please call me Dr. M," or will you let it go? I think it would be more damaging to correct the patient, but I am interested in your opinion.

 

[powermd]

i would want my patients to call me by my first name....at least in my opinion that creates a bond of friendship...and i would hope you all trust ur friends.....i dont want to be called DR. XYZ...but rather maybe doc....in other words something less formal

Who would you want telling you to bend over the examining table so he can insert a lubricated finger into your rectum- "Kevin", or "Dr. Gottlieb?"

It is wonderful that you want to develop a strong bond with your patients, but you need to remember this is not a "friendship". The physician-patient relationship is in a class of it's own. You may share friendly banter with your patient, but unlike friends you have a fiduciary duty to your patient that he/she does not have toward you. In that way it is a professional relationship, and by encouraging patients to call you "doctor" it emphasizes your true role. It has nothing to do with making anyone feel inferior/superior, but it honestly acknowledges the power relationship between doctor and patient. I have never had a patient that seemed to resist calling me "doctor," even patients who themselves are doctors. I personally like the idea of keeping things less formal- and I do find ways to do that, but having patients use my first name is not one of them. This will likely make more sense to you as you begin seeing patients. Incidentally, a good way to refer to yourself when you see patients as a medical student is to say you're a "student physician", or "student doctor". Patients respond better to that than "medical student."

 

[raekelly]

Who would you want telling you to bend over the examining table so he can insert a lubricated finger into your rectum- "Kevin", or "Dr. Gottlieb?"

It is wonderful that you want to develop a strong bond with your patients, but you need to remember this is not a "friendship". The physician-patient relationship is in a class of it's own. You may share friendly banter with your patient, but unlike friends you have a fiduciary duty to your patient that he/she does not have toward you. In that way it is a professional relationship, and by encouraging patients to call you "doctor" it emphasizes your true role. It has nothing to do with making anyone feel inferior/superior, but it honestly acknowledges the power relationship between doctor and patient. I have never had a patient that seemed to resist calling me "doctor," even patients who themselves are doctors. I personally like the idea of keeping things less formal- and I do find ways to do that, but having patients use my first name is not one of them. This will likely make more sense to you as you begin seeing patients. Incidentally, a good way to refer to yourself when you see patients as a medical student is to say you're a "student physician", or "student doctor". Patients respond better to that than "medical student."

This may work for you. However, to each its own. As I've said before, I know attending psychiatrists that don't feel the same way. Who are we to rain on their parade.

 

[patzan]

Interestingly enough, I have found that the kinds of people who often insist on being called "doctor" regardless of the situation/setting are quite often not even physicians. This guy was probably a chiropractor or something 😉

...or dentist! I hate that! I think you're an anti-dentite, though.

So whomever said I shouldn't have used "insist" for such and such reasons, it is the "insisting" part that I am talking about, mostly. I had a friend recently get married. His wedding invitation said, "Dr. and Mrs. So and so announce the marriage of...." He is one of those who insist people call him Dr., even though he is a dentist turned motivational speaker 20 years ago!


-Pretty soon you're going to start saying that they should have their own schools!
-Cosmo Kramer

 

[powermd]

Maybe you could be more specific. Would you, personally, prefer to receive your rectal exam from "Kevin"? Of course, this IS a matter of individual preference, but my point is that the majority of patients would most likely prefer some professional distance in that situation.

 

[liverotcod]

then Dr. (first name) it will be; i hate anything sounding too formal

Ummm... I'm not so sure that going by "Doctor Psycho" is all that great an idea?!?
😉

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Ummm... I'm not so sure that going by "Doctor Psycho" is all that great an idea?!?
😉

even if i'm a psychiatrist????

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Maybe you could be more specific. Would you, personally, prefer to receive your rectal exam from "Kevin"? Of course, this IS a matter of individual preference, but my point is that the majority of patients would most likely prefer some professional distance in that situation.

heck no, i'd rather get it from Karen 😛

 

[Newman8r]

OK, I have a really different perspective on this issue now (I actually didn't care before)

I volunteer at the hospital, and I am relatively new there - there are definitely a lot of new things to learn, and I always try my hardest not to make an ass out of myself in front of any of the doctors. I really have a lot of respect for all of them, but at the same time I feel kind of nervous around them because they know so much more than me, and I don't want to interfere or get in the way of their jobs. So basically, I just try to stay out of the way, and give a smile or say hello once and a while.

Today, a doctor introduced himself to me as I was taking one of his patients to be discharged. He introduced himself by first name, and he thats what I could call him. He helped me out with the patient, and told me that he was happy to meet me, and that he was glad I was volunteering at the hospital.

That was awesome, it made me feel like I was no longer on the very bottom rung, that I was an important member of the hospital (even if my job is not all too important). This was the first doctor I have met at the hospital who I have really felt comfortable around....

so basically - yeah I will always refer to doctors by that title unless told to do otherwise, however - this was a guy who didn't insist on people calling him by such a formal title, he was more concerned with making the people around him (not just patients either) as comfortable as possible. and all I can say is that doctor has class.

 

[ElKapitan]

I won't insist on being called doctor but I will have a dog named doctor scraps. If people call him just scraps, I will say with consternation, "Doctor Scraps didn't go to doggy medical school for four years, to be called just Scraps". Then someone might point out, "but I don't call you doctor", and I will say rather seriously, "I don't understand how that is relevant to this situation."

 

[Chr147]

Ummm... I'm not so sure that going by "Doctor Psycho" is all that great an idea?!?
😉

someone once told me of a doctor who specialized in sleep, and his name was dr sandman (no joke)

 

[Ross434]

someone once told me of a doctor who specialized in sleep, and his name was dr sandman (no joke)

I know an orthopedist named Dr. Bonebreak

 

[Furrball]

I'm going to inroduce myslef as Dr. First name Last name. Dr. will very soon be my professioanl title, but I really couldn't care less if I'm actually called Dr. My favorite is when you meet JD's who insist on being called doctor.

 

[Tinker Creek]

I won't insist on being called doctor but I will have a dog named doctor scraps. If people call him just scraps, I will say with consternation, "Doctor Scraps didn't go to doggy medical school for four years, to be called just Scraps". Then someone might point out, "but I don't call you doctor", and I will say rather seriously, "I don't understand how that is relevant to this situation."