Is it proper to call residents by their first name?

[jellygreen2001]

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Hi everyone I am a researching in a hospital this summer, and I get to interact with residents. They are all really nice. I am just confused onto whether I should call them by their first name or Dr. X. They always introduce themselves by their first name, but I wasn't sure if they expected to be called dr. x and if they would be offended if I called them by their first name. Would it be best to ask them what they would be preffered to be called.

thanks in advance

 

[colbgw02]

If they introduce themselves with their first name, that's a good indication that's what they want to be called. If you're uncomfortable with that, then stick with Dr. X, because you're better off erring on the side of too formal. Also, refer to them as Dr. X in front of patients, even if you're on informal terms.

 

[erin682]

In my experience if a resident introduced themselves by their first name then I called them by that and never had any problems with it. In fact I got to be fairly good friends with a number of my residents, especially the interns. I never had any of them introduce themselves as Dr. whatever but there are definately a few jerks out there who want you to call them Dr. What you do with that is up to you. At the beginning of my 3rd year I probably would of obliged but now as a fourth year and later in my 3rd year I would have laughed about it and still called them by their first name.

When in doubt it never hurts to ask. They know that you are new at this and will not really know how to play the game yet. Good luck!

 

[Abilene85]

If you call them Dr. X but they want to be called by their first name, they can easily say "Oh jeez. You are so formal. Just call me name."

If you call them by their first name but they want to be called Dr. X, the conversation is a lot more uncomfortable. "I'd really rather you call me Dr. X."

But I agree with the above that if they introduce themselves to you by their first name, that is what they want to be called in an informal setting.

 

[dilated]

In my experience residents are always firstname unless a patient is there (obviously). I guess there might be exceptions. The better question is what to call fellows - I've met a couple that demand to be called Dr. Dbag.

 

[Long Dong]

Yes

 

[MSKalltheway]

From my experience, one quick way to tell if a resident is chill or not is if they introduce themselves by their first name. This goes for fellows also, since they are generally fresh out of residency. Almost every resident or fellow I have ever met has introduced themselves to me with their first name. Just to be respectful, I ask them for their last name as well so that when patients are present, I can refer to them as 'Dr. X' as opposed to just their first name. Addressing a physician by their first name in front of patients is never a good look...

Otherwise first names are fine. A good number of residents actually dont want you to call them doctor from what I have seen.

 

[shivasHeroLike]

If you call them Dr. X but they want to be called by their first name, they can easily say "Oh jeez. You are so formal. Just call me name."

If you call them by their first name but they want to be called Dr. X, the conversation is a lot more uncomfortable. "I'd really rather you call me Dr. X."

i was thinking the same.

To OP - i'd start with doc X.

 

[Cirrus83]

I think if they introduce themselves via first name you're allowed to call them by their first name when talking to them, but it doesn't hurt to call them Dr whatever anyway.

Depends on the person though too, I think you can probably gauge whether they prefer it one way or the other.

And to be honest I don't think there's that many people who would actually flip out on you either way, except the crazies.

 

[Cirrus83]

Otherwise first names are fine. A good number of residents actually dont want you to call them doctor from what I have seen.

I think a good number of regular doctors also use first names with people actually. Of course, erring on the side of caution is also good since it can get kinda confusing trying to remember which doctor is cool with it and which isn't.

 

[LowlyPremed]

I don't get why there is a negative attitude here towards residents and fellows that want to be called Dr. X. Also, what's wrong with being called by your first name in front of a patient - I wouldn't mind. Enlighten me.

 

[HreComesTheSun]

If you call them Dr. X but they want to be called by their first name, they can easily say "Oh jeez. You are so formal. Just call me name."

If you call them by their first name but they want to be called Dr. X, the conversation is a lot more uncomfortable. "I'd really rather you call me Dr. X."

But I agree with the above that if they introduce themselves to you by their first name, that is what they want to be called in an informal setting.

as a PhD student, i just called residents and fellows by their first name...it would feel really weird to do otherwise, esp since some of them became my closest friends. we usually don't make this distinction until it's a professor, and even then, most are fine with using their first name. perhaps because the lab is a more informal setting, and maybe because residents and fellows were usually coming to us for help, not the other way around. i was told i probably shouldn't make this assumption with anyone as a med student...consistent with what most here are saying

 

[rmorriso]

Also, what's wrong with being called by your first name in front of a patient - I wouldn't mind. Enlighten me.

Using the "Dr. X" barrier is one of the ways that doctors establish professional trust from their patients. Your doctor is responsible for your most important possession, your body and health, and I know most people would rather entrust decisions concerning their bodies to "Dr. Reynolds" instead of "Dick."

 

[dilated]

I don't get why there is a negative attitude here towards residents and fellows that want to be called Dr. X. Also, what's wrong with being called by your first name in front of a patient - I wouldn't mind. Enlighten me.

Because it's just convention for residents to introduce themselves to med students by their first name, since they were in our shoes pretty recently. The fact that they deviate from the norm to insist on a title usually indicates a high dbag factor.

 

[Orthodoc40]

I think you're supposed to call residents by their LAST name, only. Like on Grey's Anatomy. 😛

 

[PeepshowJohnny]

All the residents I've met so far have been introduced to me by their doctor name by a third party, but once you meet them they just go by their first name. And this was as a first and second year.

 

[MacGyver]

BTW, I recently did a subinternship on a hospitalist service and the attendings there were so cool by the end of the rotation I was calling all of them by their first names. I could have easily gotten 5 stellar letters of rec from that group.

 

[LowlyPremed]

Using the "Dr. X" barrier is one of the ways that doctors establish professional trust from their patients. Your doctor is responsible for your most important possession, your body and health, and I know most people would rather entrust decisions concerning their bodies to "Dr. Reynolds" instead of "Dick."

Wouldn't patients be more comfortable sharing information with their doctor if he seemed more like a "Dick" than "Dr. Reynolds?" I don't know. I understand the need to be professional but maybe a patient might feel like they can relate to "Dick" and want to open up to "Dick." Like they need Dick, like they love Dick (okay just kidding about the last part) Could you choose a different name next time, it's making it really difficult to be serious 😛

 

[MSKalltheway]

Wouldn't patients be more comfortable sharing information with their doctor if he seemed more like a "Dick" than "Dr. Reynolds?" I don't know. I understand the need to be professional but maybe a patient might feel like they can relate to "Dick" and want to open up to "Dick." Like they need Dick, like they love Dick (okay just kidding about the last part) Could you choose a different name next time, it's making it really difficult to be serious 😛

Haha I suppose the example does make it a little difficult to concentrate on the main point But its all good, because it was a point well made. Research has been done that shows that male doctors who wear ties are taken more seriously, I'm sure the same goes for the name game as well. I've noticed a difference on the wards even with myself and patients. I always introduce myself giving only my first name and saying that im a medical student. Some patients will still call me by my first name, others will call me doctor despite my greeting (believe me, i make it CLEAR even after they call me doctor that they know I'm not one). I notice a different level of respect from those that refer to me by name as opposed to ones who rather call me doctor...the latter take my words more seriously. Its a subtlety that makes a huge difference.

 

[rmorriso]

Wouldn't patients be more comfortable sharing information with their doctor if he seemed more like a "Dick" than "Dr. Reynolds?" I don't know. I understand the need to be professional but maybe a patient might feel like they can relate to "Dick" and want to open up to "Dick." Like they need Dick, like they love Dick (okay just kidding about the last part) Could you choose a different name next time, it's making it really difficult to be serious 😛

Trust me, I understand what you're saying. I've often prescribed to the same belief myself, since I believe (perhaps still naively) that beneath all the hubub and scare tactics medicine is about connecting and helping people. But there's been a lot of studies done and almost all of them point to using "Dr. Reynolds" over "Dick" ::evil grin::. Doctors who use their first names with patients are most likely to face malpractice suits, have patients request second opinions, etc. Obviously this also varies by specialty and demographic situation. I'll try to find the sources, the studies have been brought up in several books I have read.

 

[sirus_virus]

Between earning below minimum wage, working extra long hours, and sleep deprivation, I don’t think residents will have enough time to notice your own small contribution to the plethora of disrespect they are already getting. If you don’t even know their first name, I am sure “hey” will work.

 

[rmorriso]

Between earning below minimum wage, working extra long hours, and sleep deprivation, I don’t think residents will have enough time to notice your own small contribution to the plethora of disrespect they are already getting. If you don’t even know their first name, I am sure “hey” will work.

what about if I wanted to embellish it with "hey newbie" or "hey bambi" or "hey you"? Personally I think they'd admire my attempts to break the monotony.

 

[MossPoh]

My dad only makes the people he dislikes call him "Dr. ____". I don't think it is a necessarily bad habit to call anyone by their title at first....I've had people ask me to just call them by their first name, but if I don't know them that well it just seems too informal for me....but I'm weird like that and I think it rubbed off from my time spent in german universities/courses as well as just overall formal events I've been put in. I was kind of taught that first name puts you on the same level as as that person, so unless you are about the same age it was just better to say. Mr/Mrs./Dr./Sir/Maam Whatever....

different strokes for different folks though.

 

[MSKalltheway]

Between earning below minimum wage, working extra long hours, and sleep deprivation, I don’t think residents will have enough time to notice your own small contribution to the plethora of disrespect they are already getting. If you don’t even know their first name, I am sure “hey” will work.

You may say that now, but come third and fourth year at your school (and when you go on away rotations especially), you get tons more face to face time with your residents and interns than you do your attendings. You are with the residents on the floors doing progress notes and admissions long after rounds when the attending leaves to go about their business for the rest of the day. If you dont do all you can to get your residents to like you, they can kill your chances at good clerkship grades or LORs if they really want to. You dont think attendings ask residents what they think of you? Besides, if its really true that they wouldnt notice if you disrespect them in small ways, dont you think they would notice if you were the only one who gave them some love?

 

[EM_Rebuilder]

Call someone what they introduce themself as. Unless, of course, its in front of a patient. Then it is always Dr blah and preferably Student Dr blah.

Overall, I don't think a resident cares. Espically if they are lower levels...

 

[sirus_virus]

You may say that now, but come third and fourth year at your school (and when you go on away rotations especially), you get tons more face to face time with your residents and interns than you do your attendings. You are with the residents on the floors doing progress notes and admissions long after rounds when the attending leaves to go about their business for the rest of the day. If you dont do all you can to get your residents to like you, they can kill your chances at good clerkship grades or LORs if they really want to. You dont think attendings ask residents what they think of you? Besides, if its really true that they wouldnt notice if you disrespect them in small ways, dont you think they would notice if you were the only one who gave them some love?

It was a joke designed to call attention to the fact that the present system is disrespectful to residents as it is. Residents deserve more pay, less hours and more recognition from our healthcare system.

On a more serious note, when I think about it, the only thing residents have right now is the title ‘Dr'. So OP, you might want to go ahead and call them Doctor.

 

[Coastie]

I introduce myself to med students and staff by my first name.

The only time I want y'all to call me Dr. X is when we are in front of a patient.

My job as an intern with reference to students is to help med students look good so they can get the best grade (and residency) possible, learn as much or as little as they want, and above all, get them out the door early so they can either a) chill or b) study..Whatever they prefer.

In my experience residents are always firstname unless a patient is there (obviously). I guess there might be exceptions. The better question is what to call fellows - I've met a couple that demand to be called Dr. Dbag.

 

[Coastie]

P.S. My job is also to convince the medicine attendings that med students can roll in wearing scrubs so they can get an extra 15-20 minutes of sleep each morning, as well as be more comfortable during the day.

 

[deleted77919]

My basic strategy is to call them "Dr. Y" and if they interrupt me and say "Just call me Bob" then I will call them Bob. Except to patients, then it's still "Dr. Y will get to you as soon as he can," etc.

 

[Coastie]

That's the best strat.

My basic strategy is to call them "Dr. Y" and if they interrupt me and say "Just call me Bob" then I will call them Bob. Except to patients, then it's still "Dr. Y will get to you as soon as he can," etc.

 

[pillowhead]

As a student, I generally always called the residents by their first names. The fellows I tended to call Dr. So and So until they told me otherwise. I mean, some of those guys are like PGY-10s and could have been attendings a long time ago if they had wanted to.

As a new intern, I think it's going to be really funny/cute when the new M3s start in a couple of weeks at my institution and call me Dr. So and So because they think it's the right thing to do at the beginning of the year. No intern should ever insist on being called Dr. So and So by their med students--it's just pretentious (in front of patients is of course different because the patient has the right to know who exactly is directly in charge of their care and who all the myriad of people walking in and out of their rooms are).