Hi there,
Any person who holds a doctorate can address themselves as "Doctor". This goes for Doctor of Theology, Doctor of Phlosphy, Doctor of Pharmacology etc. Like the quote: "Freedom of speech does not give one the right to yell 'fire' in a crowded movie theatre", refering to one's self as "Doctor" in a clinical environment should be tempered with appropriateness. It is not appropriate for a Pharm.D to walk into a cardiac arrest situation, state that I am Dr. So and so and begin to run the code. It is not appropriate for an MD to walk into a chemistry class and state begin lecture as Dr. So and so if they do not hold a Ph.D in chemistry.
With the team approach to medicine, many people who hold doctorates are present in a hospital. As a physician, I recognize their degrees and I certainly appreciate their input into the care of my patients. I have no problem addressing persons with doctoral degrees as Dr. but when it comes to clinical matters, the MD/DO is the person who directs patient care. It would be very inappropriate for a Doctor of Nursing or a Ph.D in Biochemistry to speak to a patient or patient's family as the director of that patient's care. I am sure that any person holding that degree would never cast themselves in that role in a clinical situation anyway.
As long as we all treat each other with respect, how we are addressed is pretty meaningless. As a physician and scientist ( MD/Ph.D), I totally understand the amount of education required to obtain a doctorate in any field and I respect the people who are able to get through these difficult degree programs successfully.
In the classroom, in the meeting rooms and on the street or where ever, the reference to ones self as "Doctor" should be appropriately used. Outside the hospital and to my friends and non-clinical acquaintances, I never refer to myself as "Doctor". I never refer to myself as "Doctor" in any non-clinical situation. In a patient care situation, I do use the term and refer to my physician colleagues as "Doctor" in front of patients and their families. This helps to reduce their stress much in the same way as donning a white coat means that you are held to a high standard.
Pharm.Ds are valuable folks who provide a very valuable service in the care of my patients. In short, we all work together for the best patient care at the highest level. As more and more medicine has become multidisciplinary, we as physician's "get it" when it comes to recognization of other doctoral degrees and the input that they provide to our patient care. In formal situations, we are all doctors and I welcome the expertise that we all bring to patient care. To be so arrogant as to not recognize any doctorate degree is poor form on the part of a physician.
njbmd 🙂
