"Medical Student" vs "Student Doctor"

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Do you introduce yourself as a "medical student" or "student doctor"?

  • Medical Student

    Votes: 49 60.5%

  • Student Doctor

    Votes: 9 11.1%

  • This is stupid, who cares?

    Votes: 23 28.4%
  • Total voters
    81
Status
Not open for further replies.
SpartanWolverine

SpartanWolverine

I like dark rooms.
Verified Member
10+ Year Member
Physician
Joined
Jun 29, 2012
Messages
2,590
Reaction score
2,206
Members don't see this ad.
Hey everyone,

I know this has been discussed on here before, but I haven't been able to find too much discussing this topic recently.

Basically, some of my clinical faculty and school administration insist that we introduce ourselves as a "Student Doctor" when meeting a patient. Other clinical faculty are adamant that we should only say "Medical Student" to not confuse patients.

To anyone in their MS1/MS2 years, what are you being told? To anyone in their MS3/MS4 years, which do you tend to use?

I personally think "Student Doctor" sounds a bit pretentious and that there's nothing vague about saying "Medical Student"... but I'm curious to hear your opinions and experiences.
 
I do it during fake patient encounters...will not do it ever again as soon as those end because, yes, it does sound pretentious.
 
I use "student doctor ___" simply because it rolls off the tongue better than "I'm ___, a 3rd year medical student".

Or you could just do what my current preceptor does, and lie to your patients that the medical student assisting today is a doctor. :smack:
 
My school forces us to say "student doctor" when we are doing standardized patient interviews. IMO, we haven't earned the title of "doctor" yet, so why are we introducing ourselves that way?

I still say med student though. hashbrown##rebel
 
Last edited:
My school likes the whole 'student doctor' bit, but I think they could care less if you introduced yourself as medical student X. Student doctor sounds pretentious anyways.
 
I've also heard of med students calling themselves "physicians in training"
 
It sounds better to say student doctor ... And we have to
 
alot of professions fall under (at least public perception) of the word "medical". It might not be entirely clear to the general public that medical student actual means a student studying to be a physician. it might be any number of professions falling under the general term medical or healthcare. It's even more confusing that everyone wears the shortcoats these days.. pharmacists, case managers, etc. But i don't think anyone mistakes the word doctor though..
 
What do they use in pharm and dental? "Student pharmacist"? "Dental student"?
 
"medical student" can be confused with nursing students by patients, while "student doctor" implies that you are a resident. so instead i just explain my role and tell them that my boss Dr. X will be making all the medical decisions.

"student doctor" is also incredibly pretentious and shows that the student lacks social graces.
 
I enjoy introducing myself as "WTEngel, Senior Housekeeping Staff" as I take their blood pressure and begin obtaining a history.

It doesn't sound too pretentious, but the fact that I am "Senior" means that I get a bit more respect than the average medical student. I am not gonna lie, it's pretty nice.

In all seriousness, our school has demonstrated using student doctor during SP cases, but I don't think they care what we use on rotations. I am a fan of "when in Rome" and will just follow whatever the other folks around me are using.
 
Fox800 said:
My school wants us to say "student doctor" and they address us as such in emails.
Click to expand...

Many attendings also used it on my rotations. It's not a big deal, really.
 
The problem with "student doctor" is that patients might not hear the student part, and from an ethical standpoint, you be making the patients think you're a physician. We are called student doctors by the some of the faculty and most of the staff, but the clinicians refer to us as medical students and tell not to introduce ourselves as student doctors.

Now I'd much rather be confused as a nursing student than a licensed doctor, so I'll take the risk of using medical student, and prefer that over a vague explanation of my responsibilities.
 
HoboCommander said:
"student doctor" is also incredibly pretentious and shows that the student lacks social graces.
Click to expand...

Lol wat. Some schools shove "student doctor" down medical students' throats. I'm sure most of us that say it wouldn't if our schools didn't tell us to.
 
I always thought referring to oneself as "student doctor" as an intro to a patient sounded kinda douchey. I just introduce myself by first name and say I'm one of Dr. So-and-so's med students.
 
I don't think there is anything wrong with "Student Doctor". Nursing students introduce themselves as "Student Nurses" all the time. I have gotten really tired of introducing myself as a medical student and being asked what I go to school for or when will I finish nursing school. The average patient doesn't always understand what medical student means. I think Student Doctor is clear that we are a student training to be doctor.
 
I have been a patient before, long before becoming a medical student, and from the perspective of a patient "student doctor" was fine with me. Courtesy, and empathy were far more important to me, especially the times I met student doctors when I was in pain. (Bye bye..vermiform appendix, a f@@@ off for hurting you little cecal appendage you). I payed so little attention to "student doctor" as a title, other than to note that it meant he/she would not be signing documents or prescriptions, that it is not funny. Student doctor might sound pretentious, but it puts you on good footing with patients - it establishes a professional role for you and an appropriate social barrier for the situation, as does "physician in training." Don't be afraid of the student doctor title, it actually helps you, the patient, and the doctor you're working with.
 
wholeheartedly said:
To me that implies residents or fellows.
Click to expand...
Really?

So a lawyer-in-training is already a lawyer? A politician-in-training is already a politician? A scientist-in-training is already a scientist?
I disagree.
 
Our school makes us say student doctor, too, and I find it incredibly awkward. I also always think of this website, every single time. Lol.
 
GUH said:
Really?

So a lawyer-in-training is already a lawyer? A politician-in-training is already a politician? A scientist-in-training is already a scientist?
I disagree.
Click to expand...

A lawyer-in-training could be a lawyer who is training to learn a new skill for their job. Same could be said for the other examples. We are not doctors yet in any way, shape, or form, so we shouldn't be referring to ourselves as such.
 
DoctorofDelight said:
A lawyer-in-training could be a lawyer who is training to learn a new skill for their job. Same could be said for the other examples. We are not doctors yet in any way, shape, or form, so we shouldn't be referring to ourselves as such.
Click to expand...
Saying that a person is "X-in-training" in now way implies that a person is X. It means that the person is training to be X.
 
The only times I've seen "student doctor" used the goal was to confuse the patient into thinking that the person is more qualified than they actually are. I've also noticed that the "student" part is usually mumbled.
 
It's "I'm not a doctor yet please don't think I'm a doctor I don't want you to think that so please know that I'm not a doctor. Please just let me take your history by the way I'm not a doctor".net
 
Some people just don't get it though. Even today here is how an interaction went down with an otherwise intelligent patient.


Me: Hi, I am NeuroSpeed, a 3rd year medical student working with Dr. Attending. She asked me to come talk to you and evaluate how you did overnight before she comes in later.

Mr. Dense: I did OK, but can you give me more pain meds and let me get out of here?

Me: No I am sorry I can't do that, since I am not a doctor yet. I am more than happy to discuss your concerns with Dr. Attending after I have finished evaluating you.

Mr. Dense: Oh OK, well I guess that's OK.

- I performed a quick ROS and physical since I never met him before, and the guy's pain is probably legit -

Me: Great, thank you for allowing me to come talk with you. I will let Dr. Attending know about your concerns, and we will be back later.

Mr. Dense: Before you go, Doc, can you give me a little something for my pain?

Me: No sir, I am sorry I can not do that because I am only a student and I don't have prescribing rights yet. All I can do is inform your doctor or nurse. I will be sure and do so quickly though so that you don't have to be in pain any longer than you have to.

Mr. Dense: Well that's stupid. Why can't you just give me a pain pill?
 
I loled at "Dr. Attending"

Also, with the amount of people who wear white coats and call themselves doctor I dont even introduce myself the way we were taught to.

Its so much easier to just say "I am x and I work on the cardiac/renal/surgical service". Its white noise to the patient anyway. They have already seen the physical therapy doctor, the case management doctor, and the dining services doctor. Who cares if they don't understand the role of the med student
 
Last edited:
Guess what? I am yet to start medical school but call myself Dr Darlington. Yeah gets me more girls
 
ChrisGriffen said:
I loled at "Dr. Attending"

Also, with the amount of people who wear white coats and call themselves doctor I dont even introduce myself the way we were taught to.

Its so much easier to just say "I am x and I work on the cardiac/renal/surgical service". Its white noise to the patient anyway. They have already seen the physical therapy doctor, the case management doctor, and the dining services doctor. Who cares if they don't understand the role of the med student
Click to expand...
Seriously. It's out of control- not to mention unethical. I plan to never say, "Hi, I'm Dr. X."
 
Last edited:
kirbymiester said:
Lol wat. Some schools shove "student doctor" down medical students' throats. I'm sure most of us that say it wouldn't if our schools didn't tell us to.
Click to expand...

...because if there's any entity that understands the concept of professionalism, it's the average medical school.
 
NeuroSpeed said:
Me: No sir, I am sorry I can not do that because I am only a student and I don't have prescribing rights yet. All I can do is inform your doctor or nurse. I will be sure and do so quickly though so that you don't have to be in pain any longer than you have to.

Mr. Dense: Well that's stupid. Why can't you just give me a pain pill?
Click to expand...

Alternatively, does the patient have PRN pain meds that the nurse can give?
 
Mass Effect said:
Medical student. Student doctor only confuses the patient even more. Half the time, they don't even catch the "student" part and assume you're a doctor, which you are not.
Click to expand...

Many less people than I expected know what the hell a "medical student" is. This is not as cool as I was led to believe.

"Oh, what are you going for"
"What are you studying"
"My sister is there, she's gonna be a nurse"
:bang:
 
I have yet to meet a patient who doesn't know what a medical student is. Most end up calling me doctor anyway. I'll correct them with a chuckle… because I should be no one's doctor at this point.

I've only heard one student introduce himself as Student Dr. and he's quite the tool, to say the least. But then again, I don't think it's because of what he says, but how and why he does so.
 
I say student doctor during OSCE's and will never use it elsewhere. It's confusing.
 
I like to be called student doctor (name) than medical student, just because you are called as student doctor. It makes us to be looked upon than medical student where the patients do take you seriously.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

J
LGBTQIA+ Medical Student Survey
Replies
2
Views
716
justanotherqueerkid
J
Y
Matching Psych as a DO student
Replies
4
Views
452
PapaGuava
PapaGuava
A
Thoughts on taking STEP 1 vs STEP 2 as a DO student
Replies
10
Views
2K
curiousaboutpod
C
DoctorDean
Osteopathic Medical Student Opportunity-OMS1/OMS2
Replies
11
Views
2K
DoctorDean
DoctorDean
PhD_to_DO
Medical student research study
Replies
0
Views
452
PhD_to_DO
PhD_to_DO
Top